Have you been surprised by any of the letters you’ve received?

Absolutely. I can’t believe how creative everyone has been in this process! Each letter I get increasingly makes the book more varied and interesting. I could have never suggested the majority of the topics and issues people have been writing about, so the whole experience has gone beyond my expectations.

Who has written letters to you so far. Are they all people you know?

Not at all. In fact, those close to me have the hardest time writing letters. The project forces people to be completely vulnerable with such intense feelings, and ironically, that’s hard for people to do when they know me. It almost seems easier for strangers to share these feelings with strangers, which is why I have gotten such a great response from people I don’t know. I feel lucky that they are entrusting me with their deepest thoughts.

Why do you think people submit letters to you?

I really think people are dying to be asked this kind of question. Everyone already has these these emotions inside of them, just waiting to be shared and expressed. When people feel like someone else truly wants to listen and hear about those feelings, they all just spill out of the person. They’ve been waiting for it.

What is your dream for this book?

I want the world to read these letters. I want the world to write these letters! At first, it was somewhat about me. I was interested in this concept and I wanted people to believe in me. Now it has completely changed and become solely about these writers who are taking the time to participate and reveal themselves. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to do this and I am so humbled by all of it. I can’t imagine having these letters and keeping them to myself. People absolutely need to read about what others are going through; I think people would understand and respect each other much more than they do now.