E-mail from Favorite Tarot Author

It's not often that one receives an unexpected e-mail from one's idol.
Had I not stumbled upon Alfred Douglas' The Tarot: The Origins, Meaning and Uses of the Cards one Saturday in 1979, I might never have become interested in Tarot cards.
I finally received some recognition from all my posts in praise of Douglas' book on alt.tarot!
Alfred Douglas has always been my favorite author about Tarot.
That's the one thing that I've always wanted since I was 13: a Sheridan-Douglas Tarot deck.
I was really surprised and pleased to receive a personal e-mail from Alfred Douglas last night.
Since there's some information that might be of interest to readers of my blog, I will republish the e-mail (without the e-mail address):

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Sheridan Douglas Tarot
Date:	Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:43:50 +0000
From:	A.C. Douglas
To:	rhianna

Hi Rhianna,

I've just been looking through the newsgroup alt.tarot,
and found your
references to my book
'The Tarot: the origins, meaning and uses of the
cards', which you apparently bought
in the '70s at the ripe old age of
thirteen and quite liked.   :  )

I just thought I'd let you know
that we republished the Sheridan Douglas
deck last year,
and we have just republished my book as well.
If you are
still interested in acquiring a deck,
the cards are available in
North America from
Tarot Garden  ( www.tarotgarden.com ),
who are also
handling my republished book.

The deck was only available for about a decade from 1972,
and when I learned last year that examples
were selling on eBay for around $450, I
thought it would be a good idea to reprint.
The Penguin paperback of my
book stayed in print for about 25 years,
but has been unavailable for
the past ten years or so.
I still get enquiries about it, so decided to
get the rights back from Penguin in the UK and the US,
and republish it
too.

You can find out a little more
from our website:
www.sheridandouglas.co.uk

There's quite a long thread about
the republishing of the deck on the
Aeclectic Tarot Forum here:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=54775

A thread about the new printing of the book
 can be found here:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=18015

Inspired by the positive response
we're received to the republishing,
I've now started work on a
completely new book on the Tarot.

Anyway, thank you so much
for being so enthusiastic and supportive about
my work all those years ago.
It does mean a lot.

Very best wishes,

Alfred Douglas  

I then replied:

Dear Mr. Douglas,

I never thought I'd receive a message from you!
Thank you so much for your personal message -- I see you've actually combed through the alt.tarot archives!
Yes, I was at the "ripe old age of 13" when I stumbled upon your book and I still have that copy on my computer desk in my room (place of honor).

I was wondering if you are also going to sell the deck/book[s] on amazon.com in the United States?

Thanks for thinking of me and keeping me up-to-date with your new printings and new projects.

Yours,

Rhianna

He replied:

Dear Rhianna,

Tarot Garden are handling distribution of both the deck and the book in the States, so it will be up to them to sell to Amazon.com if they choose. I do know they sell the decks sometimes on eBay.com, as we do ourselves on eBay.co.uk You can get the deck directly from Tarot Garden and pay less postage than you would ordering directly from us; they have a very good reputation and Jeannette who is in charge there is very nice. Every deck I've supplied them with has been signed by me on the inner top flap of the box.

Best wishes,

Alfred