So here& #39;s a story in 3 parts. The first two seem disconnected until they& #39;re not.

Part 1) When I was in HS my friend group was 5 guys. One had a sister a few years younger than us and one of my pure delights in life was passing her all the foundational fantasy about girls by women that I found. I gave her so many books! https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😍" title="Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes">

Part 2) When I fall in love with a new-to-me author, I immediately chase them down on the internet and make them become my friend. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Red heart" aria-label="Emoji: Red heart"> https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😭" title="Loudly crying face" aria-label="Emoji: Loudly crying face"> I have done this to several people, notably @AlyssaColeLit and most recently @jessiemihalik.

Part 3) Every once in a while, my friend& #39;s baby sister messages me on Facebook. It& #39;s always because she picked up a book and found a "Bree" in the dedication or acknowledgements and wants to know if it& #39;s me.

It always is, even though I never rec& #39;d that book to her.

Part 3 ctd) Because in the & #39;90s I gave her all my formative influences, the ones that made me love the books I love, she grew up and keeps independently picking up books by authors whose work I loved so much I made them be my friends.

We still love the same books. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😭" title="Loudly crying face" aria-label="Emoji: Loudly crying face">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Red heart" aria-label="Emoji: Red heart">

Anyway, this is a story about how love of books forms bonds across decades and how much power there is in the perfect book rec, and also a warning that I& #39;m gonna maybe read your book and chase you around the internet until you agree to be my friend. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Red heart" aria-label="Emoji: Red heart"> https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😭" title="Loudly crying face" aria-label="Emoji: Loudly crying face">