"More than a stunning debut. It is the announcement of a bold new literary voice"
—Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The last time I saw you I was too young to even walk. The only memories I have of you are from pictures taken long ago. In one you sit on the couch smiling next to my dad, you both have guitars in your lap and you look so happy. Looking at you there with my dad who was so young its so hard to believe that you’d want to kill yourself. But you did and now I’ll never have the chance to see you and my dad will forever have to suffer the loss of his dad. He misses yo like crazy you know. Sometimes he will sit in his room and play that song, the one he wrote about lost time, and cry. Its hard to understand why you’d want to leave all that behind but at the same time its not so hard. My dad says you got caught up in things you shouldn’t have and to escape the pain you turned to alcohol and drugs. You would sit in solitary and take all your anger out on your guitar for hours and when you came out you’d stare at the TV and try to block out ... Read more

Hey SamMonster, You may not know this but I’m your big sister. I remember being told I would be a big sister again and I was SO excited. I remember coming home and seeing your name band on the counter. Being 8 years old I didn’t know what happened. I also didn’t understand what happened. I ran to dad and said “Susan (Your mom) had the baby!” When dad said “No she didn’t. Put it back.” I didn’t understand you were gone. Well, I am 14 now and I understand. I hope you are having fun with Great Grandpa and Great Grandma. They are the best! I love you and miss you SamMonster. You will forever be in my heart.

SO ITS 9:18PM AND I HAVE SCHOOL IN THE MORING BUT IM READING LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD AND I SAW THAT I COULD COME ON HERE TO MAKE A LOVE LETTER. ANYWAY HEY BRAYDEN HOW ARE YOU I MISS YOU SO MUCH YOU AND YOU WILL ALWAYS WILL BE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AND YES I KNOW I KNOW IM ONLY 13 BUT I FEEL IN MY HEART THAT YOUR THE ONE. EVERY SECOND THAT YOUR AWAY I THINK OF YOU AND SOMETIMES I CAN THINK OF YOU AND BE HAPPY BE OTHER TIMES I CRY BECAUSE YOUR SUCH A BIG PART OF MY LIFE. I WISH YOU COULD TALK TO ME BUT YOU KEEP ALL YOUR SAD THOUGHTS TO YOURSELF BUT I’M A VERY UNDERSTANDING PERSON AND I WISH I COULD BE THAT ONE PERSON THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS RUN TO. BE I GUESS LIFE DOESNT WORK THAT WAY. EVERYONE NEEDS THAT ONE PERSON THEY CAN TELL EVERYTHING TO. I THINK WE ARE A LOT ALIKE. LIKE MAYBE WE HAVE THE SAME THOUGHTS OR WE THINK ABOUT EACH OTHER AT THE SAME TIME. THE FEELING I GOT ON THE DAY WE MET 2 YEARS AGO IS THE ... Read more

I’m only thirteen and probably too young to admire you but I don’t care if I’m crazy about you because you are my one and only love in my life. You, only you can be uplifting to me when I feel blue. Each and everyone of your songs describe my whole life basically. I can’t even explain how much I love you. I discovered you at the young age of 2, when my mother used to make me watch your hit movies like Blue Hawaii, Kissin’ Cousins and much more. I have vague memories of your movies and it always gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling because I’m happy I got to have “Elvis Presley, The King Of Rock & Roll” in my childhood memories. Most kids today don’t have the privilege to listen to your great music. They prefere twenty-one Pilots, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, one direction and so on. I want to literally kill myself so badly when I listen to today’s music because it’s just too much garbage. Where did the times go? Where you were the main heartthrob of all the teenage girls, when Martin Luther King made history, when J.F.K was president, when Marilyn was ... Read more

Sabes? tu libro me ha encantado; es uno de mis favoritos no soy experta en esto de la escritura pero cuando empecé a leer me encanto más y más hasta hoy no he podido parar cada que acabo un libro siento la necesidad de leer otro y poder sonreír, llorar, etc.

Cuando leí tu libro me sentí muy identificada con Laurel porque así como ella yo le escribo a Kurt Cobain uno de mis ídolos, también le escribo a Jim Morrison, Dimebag Darrell, Jhon Bonham y muchos más. Siento la necesidad de hacerlo, siento que aunque ellos ya no estén aquí me escuchan y me comprenden como jamás lo ha podido hacer mi madre ni ninguna otra persona.

En fin, gracias por haber creado Cartas de Amor a los Muertos, de verdad, gracias porque aunque no lo creas con este libro hiciste sentir a muchas personas identificadas las hiciste llorar en algunos momentos y sonreír en otros las hiciste enamorarse de este libro maravilloso y enamorarse de cada uno de los personajes. Gracias otra vez por habernos dado la oportunidad de meternos en el personaje de Laurel y sentir el dolor que ella sentía, por darnos la oportunidad de leer como ... Read more

After we parted ways to our new schools, we still tried desperately to keep in touch. Our chats were usually about how we were both doing, but we were never on at the same time. When we lost contact, admittedly I didn’t think twice, but you were in the back of my mind and you’ll pop up whenever someone mentions “childhood”. When I got the news of your fight with an illness, I was devastated. You lost the fight. At that time, I had a relaxing month with school going so smoothly. It pained me to realise that while I was doodling in classes, you were slipping away to somewhere I’m not allowed to go yet. But I’ve moved on from grief, and learnt to treasure every moment with my friends. Try to smear them in my mind, remember every word said and the bumps of a laugh, take every photo like I’ll be looking at it someday, sometime, realising the people I was with are gone. This year, your death anniversary passed and I didn’t notice up until a week later. I was surprised considering how depressed I was about it last year. But now, I can even ... Read more

I just wanted to say that we really miss you down here. I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately I guess because it’s almost November 1st. I really hope that you’re in a better place. A place where anxiety and OCD and Medical shit wasn’t a thing. I know i didn’t know who you were before you died but when I found out that you were dead I bawled my eyes out. Every time I hear thunder I think of you stomping in heaven. Love you Mitch ❤️

When I first began Love Letters to the Dead I never thought I would be writing a letter to a dead person. However, the more I read the more it got me thinking to do so. So, what better person to write to than you. Its been fifteen years since you past in the Summer of ’01. I was too young to remember you or the last summer you stood with us. I know you’re looking down on us and giving me the strength to get through high school. Although I’ve never had an actually conversation with you, I know you’re up there listening to me. I have some amazing news to share with you. I completed my story that I started co-authoring with one of my best friends last month! Its crazy to think that I was able to make it this far and I know you were able to help me. I honestly wish I could see you, talk to you, and share with you what you have missed. I think of you everyday grandma. I love you.

How many years has it been since I lost you? It really wasn’t that long ago, but I’ve still lost track. I wish that i could say that everything has been as happy as it was when you left… but I can’t. You might have heard about my friend Madison? Well, she is starting to not eat again. Im scared. Last time this happened she had to go to the hospital fpr four months. It didn’t even help. Also, Papa, my friend Adrianna has diabetes. Type 1. Im not sure what type you had… Anyways, there is some good news. Last year at our fair I won reserve grand champion with my gilt! This year i didn’t do too hot, though. If you are in Heaven, like everyone says you are, can you ask God something for me? I’m still not sure about this… but can you ask if it’s okay to be gay? As in homosexual? And then, if you get an answer, please tell me. My life is a mess. But it’s okay, i have a lot of people to help me organize it. I have three internet friends now. I met them over Instagram. Their names are ... Read more

Hey grandma . It’s been about seven years since I’ve seen you. I miss you so much. There’s not a day that I don’t think of you. I miss all the memories we had , like when we’d go to the gas station and get bug juice. I wonder what it’s like in heaven. I wish you could tell me. I wish I could still talk to you , you were always there for me . You mean the world to me still , I wish you were here holding me in your arms right now . I was only in first grade when you left. If you were still here you’d know my parents got divorced , my mom has a new boyfriend and she had a baby on March 7,2016. His name is Jude. You missed Lilly’s tenth birthday in January. My fourteenth birthday is next month. My dads house has become complete hell grandma. You’re the glue that kept this family together. My mom misses you too. We all do. Even my dad. Well I love you so much grandma and I miss you so much. I hope you’re having fun in heaven.