Etgar keret
“When I’ve published my first book and had gone to my first book signing I didn’t know what to write as a dedication. I’ve tried to copy from more experienced writer at the book fair and they had all wrote “with friendship” or “sincerely yours” . Since i didn’t know the people in the book signing and didn’t feel I was their friend in anyway I’ve felt awkward writing that. And had started writing fake dedications instead. Writing stuff like “To Danny , thank you for saving my life in Lebanon, if not for you this book would have never been written”.or “To Dina, thank you for donating me a kidney. A part of you is always with me”.
It worked great until I’ve written to this serious looking young woman “To Bosmat, you may hate me but this won’t change the fact that the baby is mine.” Five minutes later Bosmat had returned to the book stand with a very tall guy who had slapped me. And from that day on I’ve stopped writing fake dedication and switched to making silly little doodles instead. I can’t really draw but it does save me from getting slapped by total strangers.”