well, top of the list was Linda Lowe Thompson, without whose book, i would never have learned the hammer dulcimer. I did write her, and got the most lovely respons. Terrific lady. Also wrote James A Michener, with no response, but that wasn't the point. The point was, his books moved me, and he deserved to be told that. Give me the Roses is a favorite one in our house, and we try to live it.