Dear ,

I hope you're doing super good! Guess what? It's snowing where I live and everything looks like it's covered in a big, fluffy blanket of snow. It's REALLY cold, so mom says I have to wear my ugly, puffy jacket and mittens whenever I go outside. So lame. I wish I was in Kenya where you are ...

When I was in Grade 5, our English class was assigned penpals from Kenya. It was one of the most fun and memorable elementary school projects I did. I was given a boy, which was a surprise since his name was not one I was familiar with, so I'd assumed he was a girl when I wrote my first letter.

He and I wrote back and forth several times over at least a year. I remember sending him small amounts of money with each letter, dollar bills given to me by my grandmother. His last letter asked for more than my parents were happy about and that ended my international penpal friendship.

Last night, as I lay awake (thank you, menopause insomnia) I tried to figure out how long it's been since I sent a note to you. Over two months, I estimated.

Worst penpal ever.

Snail mail resurgence

In November, I was introduced to a lovely woman who's started a community based around people connecting and sending real mail to each other—the kind of mail that gives a spark of joy when opening the mailbox.

Sara Claggett launched an online community to support letter writers, called Letter Writer Social. It is a delightful space for folks who love to send and receive real mail, who have a passion for stationary and postage stamps and pens and ink and stickers and wax sealing stamps... and real handwriting. If that's you, check it out!

Did you know that February is International Correspondence Writing Month? It's the perfect time to join Sara's community if upping your penpal game is something of interest!

If reading is more to your liking ...

... I've got a fabulous book recommendation for you!

Strictly Not Yours by Carrie Elks

in which Cinderella meets Fight Club!

I thought I knew everything about my rich, neat-freak doctor of a boss. Until I walked into a fight club and our eyes clashed across the ring…

Holden Salinger is a pediatric oncologist and for the last two years I’ve been cleaning his swanky New York apartment.

I know every intimate detail about him, from his overly large shoe size to his toothpaste tube rolling obsession.

But he doesn’t even know I exist. The man couldn’t pick me out in a police lineup.

Until I get a second job working at a local bar, only to discover there’s a secret back room. One with a boxing ring right in the center. And when I see him vault into it, muscles rippling, I realize he’s not the man I thought he was.

From the moment our gazes clash, the chemistry between us is sizzling. And when he becomes my unexpected savior, my heart takes a tumble I’m not expecting.

Falling for him is such a bad idea. If he finds out who I really am, he’d never want to touch me.

So let’s not tell him, okay?

Read Strictly Not Yours now!

No pressure to say more—but I'd love to know ...

Do you still send surprise snail mail to folks?

Do you have a penpal you've never met, but who feels like a friend?

I think there's fodder for a romance in a penpal relationship. In fact, I know there is since seven years after me, when my brother was in Grade 5, he too was assigned an international penpal. His was a young woman named Deepali. The reason I remember her name and not my own penpal's? Because once my little brother turned 18, he flew to India to meet her ... and years later they were married!

Sadly, immigration kerfuffles and a too long, long-distance marriage ended what could have been one of the best meet cutes for a happily ever after.

love&spilledinkstuff,

Danika

PS—the mailing address below is not where I get my mail, so if you felt moved to drop a postcard to me, please don't send it there! Reply to this email with your mailing address and I'll share mine on the return envelope of a love note to you!