Greetings fellow Sting and Police fans, I've been contacted by a fellow fan who is writing a book on Sting, and who is writing it from the perspective of Sting's fans. He is collecting writings from fans to include in the book. If you have any questions about it, please contact him directly at stingstories@hotmail.com . Without further ado, here is the message that he sent to me. - Marisa Sting etc. http://www.stingetc.com ------------------- Message from stingstories@hotmail.com : I am a respected, established professor/scholar at an American university specializing in media studies and media production. My work has previously been widely published in countries around the world, in film festivals, magazines, journals, galleries, theaters, and on television and the web. I am writing to you as a fellow Sting fan, to invite your participation in an exciting, groundbreaking and original project. I am seeking to assemble a collection of essays for publishing on the web, as a series of journals, or (most appealing to me, and my primary ambition) as a book. These essays will be composed by Sting fans like yourself, and will be meditations/stories/anecdotes/recollections on what Sting’s music has meant to you. Sting recently appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” with his wife Trudie. Trudie was discussing how she used to resent Sting for always working and touring and being largely absent from her life, until she “ realized that the world NEEDS his music.” And that is just it. Most pop stars have fans who love their music, but their lives wouldn’t be different in the absence of that music. For a great many people, the connection to Sting’s songs goes well past being a “fan,” in the traditional sense of that word. His music really MEANS something. We really do NEED it, in the way that we need food, sleep, love, air to breathe. On more than one occasion, Sting’s music has assisted in changing my life – his songs once lifted me out of a seemingly bottomless depression, and the “Brand New Day” album came along at a time that I was contemplating a major change in the direction of my personal and professional lives, and was without question largely responsible for the way that I made those decisions, and the reason that I am blissfully happy today as a result of the decisions I made. The project will include a couple of essays by myself documenting these specific experiences, as well as a more general one about the space Sting’s music occupies in my life, and a more academic/scholarly piece about the connection of a fan to an artist, and the phenomenon of having your life so thoroughly touched by someone you may never meet. Beyond that, I look to you for help. I know that there are thousands of people who’ve been touched by Sting’s songs, and I want your stories. So if you have a tale to tell, please send it to me. If you’ve met Sting or seen one of his shows and that experience changed you in some way, then please send me your story. I am most interested in connections people have made with the music. So if you have specific incidences in which Sting’s songs moved you in some way, or you’ve known someone to whom Sting’s music meant a great deal, let me know. Or if you would be more interested in writing a general meditation on his body of work, or a specific song, then go to it! I am welcome to all submissions – this is your chance to let the world know what this great artist’s music has meant to you. Please include contact information (an email address, at least) where I can reach you as the work approaches a publishing date. I reserve the right to edit all submissions for spelling and grammar. Lastly, please help me spread the word! Do you know of a Sting fan who might be interested in participating in this project? Forward them this email! Do you know of an online forum or bulletin board regularly consulted by Sting fans? Let me know, or just post this email! Please send all submissions as attached Word documents, or in the body of an email to stingstories@hotmail.com Thank you for your time.