Mekonnen Tesfaye

Mekonnen was one of my Madonna Fan Club pen pals. He lived in Ethiopia and is the handsome young graduate pictured with his mother and equally dashing brother in March 1992.

Blah, blah, blah...

Mix from Jason Hinson made probably in 1995.

Jason Hinson

Here's a groovy little drawing from Jason, one of my Icon pen pals from the nineties. I just love it; it's so fun and cheerful.

Svetlana

Sonoma, Darling

Page one from Sonoma of Monton Eccles, Manchester from August 4th 1995:

Sonoma's letters cracked me up when she constantly referred to me as Lisa, Sweetie. We had such a love for all things Ab Fab and she ends this letter with "Write back soon and keep those wheels on fire". I wonder whatever became of Sonoma Cotton....

Courtney Love

~by Kellee Dasaras

Back in '94 I was corresponding with Kellee, a young artist living in Edmonton Canada, who I had met thru Icon, the Madonna fan club. She and I were both crazy for Courtney Love at the time and Kellee was sweet enough to sketch this portrait for me and send it. To this day it remains framed in my bedroom. I think it's perfect.

Kirsty

Back in the mid 90s I was deep into my Madonna Obsession and (she says blushing) I joined Icon - The Madonna Fan Club. In the back pages were personal ads to become friends with fellow Madonna fans around the globe. One of the closest pen pals I had was Kirsty from Manchester, UK. I still have all the letters she wrote me.

Far Away

In the mid 90s I was corresponding with a slew of people from all over the world. Russia, Ireland, England, Italy, Germany, Holland, the South, the Midwest, Canada, Jamaica, and Africa. The photo above is of Mekonnen (lounging and sipping) and his brother in Addis Ababa. Although we no longer exchange letters, I still look at this picture from time to time and so wish to visit that gorgeous continent.