Eagle eye
The post came a little while ago and one of the items was a mid-sized jiffy bag with my name on it. I was a little puzzled because I wasn't expecting a package from anywhere. I was even more baffled when I saw that it had the name HarperCollins Children's Books on it. Then I remembered the letter that I'd sent them way back in May.
I'd got a copy of Shade's Children by Garth Nix out of the library but as I read it, I kept noticing lots of errors. I decided that it annoyed me so much, especially the sheer amount of errors I'd noticed, that I would send a letter to the publisher and point out what I'd found. So as I finished off the book, I jotted down a list of all the mistakes I noticed. There was a lot. Things like the main character's name being spelt wrong, missing punctuation, incorrect formatting and fonts. Some pretty major mistakes really, and some very glaring ones. I typed them all up into a letter which was two pages of A4 due to the sheer amount of errors I'd found, and once I'd managed to find the publisher's address online, I sent it off to HarperCollins. I went off to Boston soon afterwards and when there was no response on my return home, I was a little unimpressed but soon forgot all about it.
Until this parcel arrived this afternoon! When I opened it, there was a letter and book inside. The letter says:
Dear Nathaniel
Thank you very much for your recent letter concerning a mistake in Shade's Children by Garth Nix. All of our books are carefully edited and proof-read, but there is always the possibility of human error. It is very important that readers notify us of any inaccuracies in our books so that, if we reprint the book, we can correct any errors. Well spotted!
Thank you for your interest in HarperCollins Publishers and I hope you continue to enjoy reading. I have included a copy of the first title in Garth Nix's new series The Seventh Tower to thank you for your comments; I hope that you enjoy it.
With best wishes
Jane Griffiths
Assistant Editor, Fiction and Picture Books.
I was most surprised! I certainly didn't expect to get a free book! The thing is, I was reading a new book the other day and I spotted a couple of errors in it. Perhaps I should send a letter off to that publisher as well...
I'd got a copy of Shade's Children by Garth Nix out of the library but as I read it, I kept noticing lots of errors. I decided that it annoyed me so much, especially the sheer amount of errors I'd noticed, that I would send a letter to the publisher and point out what I'd found. So as I finished off the book, I jotted down a list of all the mistakes I noticed. There was a lot. Things like the main character's name being spelt wrong, missing punctuation, incorrect formatting and fonts. Some pretty major mistakes really, and some very glaring ones. I typed them all up into a letter which was two pages of A4 due to the sheer amount of errors I'd found, and once I'd managed to find the publisher's address online, I sent it off to HarperCollins. I went off to Boston soon afterwards and when there was no response on my return home, I was a little unimpressed but soon forgot all about it.
Until this parcel arrived this afternoon! When I opened it, there was a letter and book inside. The letter says:
Dear Nathaniel
Thank you very much for your recent letter concerning a mistake in Shade's Children by Garth Nix. All of our books are carefully edited and proof-read, but there is always the possibility of human error. It is very important that readers notify us of any inaccuracies in our books so that, if we reprint the book, we can correct any errors. Well spotted!
Thank you for your interest in HarperCollins Publishers and I hope you continue to enjoy reading. I have included a copy of the first title in Garth Nix's new series The Seventh Tower to thank you for your comments; I hope that you enjoy it.
With best wishes
Jane Griffiths
Assistant Editor, Fiction and Picture Books.
I was most surprised! I certainly didn't expect to get a free book! The thing is, I was reading a new book the other day and I spotted a couple of errors in it. Perhaps I should send a letter off to that publisher as well...