Dan Buri

I can remember writing as far back as middle school. It’s something I have always enjoyed doing. One of the first poems I ever wrote was about my older brother and his basketball playing abilities. I still remember the opening lines and I wrote them nearly 30-years ago as a kid:

I’m Joe the King of Basketball,
I’m the king of the basketball court.
All my shots are always on target,
None of them are ever short.

I didn’t say it was any good! I don’t remember any more than that. To be honest, I’m not sure how I even remember those lines.
The point is writing has been something I have always enjoyed doing and something I have always admired in other people. Story telling is a beautiful gift. I love learning to hone the craft.

I was thrilled when my book became a #1 Bestseller on Amazon for short stories. That was really exciting and only due to the love and support of my readers. Even more than that, however, are the personal stories that readers share with me. I feel blessed to be connecting with readers on a personal level. I'll share one of the most touching.

There was one lovely woman, though, that had some feedback that really touched me. In her review itself she had wonderful things to say, commenting how she wanted to give the book 10 stars instead of 5 and how people will want to read my book again and again; but she contacted me directly as well. She told me that her husband was an Air Force helicopter pilot who died in 2012 in a mid-air collision. She had spoken to him one last time less than 2 hours before he passed away. His last words to her, she says, were nearly identical to the last words in my book—“I’m yours, and that’s it. Forever.”
 She was so moved and just cried. She told me that she could never thank me enough for bringing her that experience in my writing. Simply beautiful.