I think I've found my short story that has been missing since 1972!
Roald Dahl's birthday was earlier this month. His books have sold more than 100 million copies.
Thinking of that, it's pretty amazing that I got this postcard. It's dated 24th August '72, and says, "Dear April, I loved your story about Herman the frog. I read it aloud to my daughter, Ophelia, who also loved it. I read it to my secretary, Hazel, who giggled. Lots of love, Roald Dahl." What's even more amazing is that Dahl took the short story I sent him when I was 12 - carefully printed on wide-ruled paper- to lunch with the editor of a children's magazine. She contacted me later and asked if she could publish it. It was about a six-foot-tall frog who loved peanut butter.
If I ever got a copy of the magazine, I lost it years and years ago. I had a vague memory it was called Puffin, but I was never able to find it on Google. And I was sure I had it wrong. After all, Puffin is a book publisher.
But I've been asked to write about how Roald Dahl helped make me be a writer for the LA Review of Books. And somehow today I hit on the right combination of search terms and found out there was a magazine that featured children's writings called Puffin Post that was put out by Puffin in the 1970s. And they also published Roald Dahl. That has to be it. I just sent off an email to Puffin Post (which folded but has since been resurrected).
I am beyond excited to think I might see my old story again.
Thinking of that, it's pretty amazing that I got this postcard. It's dated 24th August '72, and says, "Dear April, I loved your story about Herman the frog. I read it aloud to my daughter, Ophelia, who also loved it. I read it to my secretary, Hazel, who giggled. Lots of love, Roald Dahl." What's even more amazing is that Dahl took the short story I sent him when I was 12 - carefully printed on wide-ruled paper- to lunch with the editor of a children's magazine. She contacted me later and asked if she could publish it. It was about a six-foot-tall frog who loved peanut butter.
If I ever got a copy of the magazine, I lost it years and years ago. I had a vague memory it was called Puffin, but I was never able to find it on Google. And I was sure I had it wrong. After all, Puffin is a book publisher.
But I've been asked to write about how Roald Dahl helped make me be a writer for the LA Review of Books. And somehow today I hit on the right combination of search terms and found out there was a magazine that featured children's writings called Puffin Post that was put out by Puffin in the 1970s. And they also published Roald Dahl. That has to be it. I just sent off an email to Puffin Post (which folded but has since been resurrected).
I am beyond excited to think I might see my old story again.
The frog story
Re: The frog story
That Roald Dahl sent you such a sweet postcard is the greatest story ever. As well as the fact that, at 12, you were destined to be a writer.