# How to contact an author? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 7, 2022, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223 "2022-08-07T00:36:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![19USMC69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ac91a4/32.png) [@19USMC69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/19USMC69)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223/1 "2022-08-07T00:36:51Z")
Specifically, one Craig Symonds. He is a well-respected author, especially on the subject of WW2 U. S. naval history. His publisher is the Oxford University Press. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223/2 "2022-08-07T00:41:38Z")
Typically you can write an surhor via thrir publisher or agent. Some have an email contact option on their webpage or publisher’s site. If they’re a Goodreads author, you may be able to contact them there. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223/3 "2022-08-07T15:40:41Z")
If this is the same guy, you can message him on LinkedIn, assuming you are a member. [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwje7\_TNh7X5AhVEIX0KHZOHDHQQFnoECAkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fcraig-symonds-57204520a&usg=AOvVaw21SiwfQYAL5F96Vtgoknhs](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwje7_TNh7X5AhVEIX0KHZOHDHQQFnoECAkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fcraig-symonds-57204520a&usg=AOvVaw21SiwfQYAL5F96Vtgoknhs) ---
**Author:** ![19USMC69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ac91a4/32.png) [@19USMC69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/19USMC69)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223/4 "2022-08-07T16:14:24Z")
Thanks to both of you. I’ll try both options. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223/5 "2022-08-07T17:06:00Z")
If all else fails, send a letter care of Oxford U Press. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223/7 "2022-08-08T13:21:18Z")
I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of this option. Back in 2020 I needed to get in touch with one of OUP’s authors who had no web presence whatsoever. (I wanted to get a quote from her for an article I was writing that referenced one of her books.) I wrote to OUP via their Contact Us form explaining who I was, who I was trying to contact, and why, and asking if they could pass my contact details along to the author. They responded within two weeks confirming that they’d forwarded my message to the author, and she got in touch with me the same day. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223/8 "2022-08-08T14:16:09Z")
I gave an address and it was removed as a privacy issue, so instead I will tell you how to find it: Google Search for Craig Symonds. About the first thing which shows up is the Wikipedia article about him. You can note two things: he was a professor at the U.S. Naval Institute at Annapolis Maryland for a very long time and his wife is Marylou. This suggests further searches such [“Craig Symonds” “Marylou”] or [“Craig Symonds” Annapolis Maryland.] If you do either you will get the usual sites when you search for someone’s address and a number of them will list his specific address. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-contact-an-author/969223/9 "2022-08-08T14:20:46Z")
Although that search may work, I have to say that as an author, I’d be concerned if someone wrote me at home rather than at my publisher (or LinkedIn or other online contact).