Help me solve this mystery and win a signed paperback copy of your choice of Forbidden Mind, Forbidden Fire (in about a month) or Bits of You & Pieces of Me. I’ll also throw in some Three Lost Kids and Forbidden bookmarks!
Here’s the mystery:
The world of my Forbidden trilogy had me completely absorbed when a knock on the door broke my concentration. It must be one of the neighbor kids looking for our girls.
“Madelynne, can you get the door?”
She ran our of her room and greeted a man who stood on our porch with two packages. “Certified mail for Kimberly Kinrade.”
I had mail? Cool! I went to sign for them, thinking my parents had sent me early birthday presents, but why would they send it certified? I closed the door and took my two presents to the couch to open.
One bubble envelope and one purple letter envelope. They both had the same
return address, but they weren’t from my parents.
Clue #1: the return address
Candies R Us, Inc.
371 Lakeport Blvd., #379
Lakeport, CA 95453
I opened the bubble envelope first, and found a Snickers bar and a blank, white sheet of paper folded up. Nothing else.
This is so bizarre. Why would someone send me a Snickers bar? I don’t even like Snickers.
I opened the letter, thinking it would explain why they had sent me a candy. Maybe they packaged it and forgot to sign the paper?
The envelope contained another white sheet of paper. Blank. Someone had taken the time to pay for a certified letter that I had to sign for… and only sent a blank sheet of paper. Why?
The postage for the Snickers package was $7.42 and was sent from Lakeport, California.
Clue #2
I lived in Lake County (which is the where Lakeport is) several years ago, and my best friend lives near there, but I have no contact with anyone else and she didn’t send this.
Clue #3
This is less of a clue, and more of a mystery. We just moved a little over a month ago (We don’t live in California) and almost NO ONE has our address. I’ve used a P.O. Box for everything and the only people who have this new address are my best friend, my parents (who live 14 hours from Lakeport and my mom just had surgery… so not a contender), my publishing company (not in California, and not likely to spend $12 to send me random blank notes and Snickers bars,) and one other person who lives in Washington.
My address is not listed, yet these were addressed specifically to me.
Clue #4
The manilla bubble package had pre-printed labels on it, but the purple envelope
was handwritten and looks female.
What My Kids Think:
Assassins have been sent to kill me and they poisoned the Snickers. Time to test for poison and call the police!
What I’ve done:
I contacted the address listed, it’s a UPS store and the box number is attached to a business (not Candies R Us). They are calling the business (they aren’t allowed to disclose the name of the business) but they know the business and are confident the business is not in any way involved in this. They have not heard of this happening to anyone else.
I’ve googled Candies R Us, Inc. and didn’t find anything useful.
Here’s the mystery you need to solve.
WHO sent me these packages and WHY? And HOW did they get my address?
To win the signed book, you must solve the mystery. If no one can solve the mystery, I will award a signed copy to the person who has the best theory!
So, let’s see who’s the best P.I.!
UPDATE as of Monday 4:14 p.m. PST
I opened the Snickers bar. All I found was a smooshed Snickers and no evidence of tampering. (But no one is eating it.)
I also used water, fire and pencil rubbings on the paper and nothing! I’m out of ideas!!
Great comments and ideas, keep ’em coming!
Update Wednesday, April 4, 2012
No other information has come in about these mysterious packages. I have not discovered any other clues, and none of my testing has revealed any secrets. I haven’t received any other strange packages in the mail, unless you count small pieces of paper insisting on money for esoteric things such as light and water.
So… I’ll give it a week. If anything more happens, I’ll let you know. If nothing else happens and we can’t truly figure out the who, how and why of all this, I’ll pick a winner from the collective comments to win a signed book!
UPDATE: May 8, 2012- WINNER
I waited and waited and waited, and nothing. I have no idea who did this or why, and nothing else has happened. I think it’s time to accept the fact that I’ll likely never know, and that will bug me endlessly. But you all have been fantastic and it’s time to award a free signed book! So…. the winner is….
Terri Dion!
Congratulations. You have been emailed, please reply so I can get you your book! 🙂
Thank you to you all for commenting, coming up with creative ideas and helping to figure out the mystery of this! You all are amazing and I’d like to reward each of you. So if commented on this post originally and you email me within the next 7 days with an ebook request of one of my published books and your reading preference (mobi for Kindle, epub for Nook), I will send you a free ebook as thanks for getting involved.
that is really weird did you check the paper for invisible ink? sounds crazy but you never know what else would they send it blank in a separate envelope i’d look up different ways to see it some times you can just use heat or lemon juice. this would freak me out and make me feel like i had a stalker or something. also would your friend play a prank on you? yesterday was april fools day after all.good luck with your mystery i hope i was helpful.
terri_dion@hotmail.com
I’m going to check for invisible ink! 😉 And no, my BFF wouldn’t do that. I talked to her for awhile about it, and it’s not her style. Plus it’s not her writing. She has drunk Dr. writing! lol Thanks for the ideas!
did you open the candy bar? maybe there’s something inside (but wear gloves just in case)
my 8 yr old thinks that maybe this is just the beginning clues that are supposed to lead you to other clues and a prize at the end he also thinks the purple envelope is the clue not the blank paper unless there’s invisible ink on it of course.
Ohhh clever! I’ll have to look at the envelope more. Hmm… And okay, I WILL open the Snickers bar!
Bummer… just a smooshed Snickers bar with no evidence of package tampering. Hmm…
I found a Candies R Us on Facebook, and there is only a website listed. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candy-R-Us/119022791451868
Website: http://grm.abss.k12.nc.us/
But its supposedly a high school website. Still not making much sense!
Yeah, saw that, and they’re also in NC, not very close to CA! Perplexing!
Its not possible this is part of some high school fundraiser
you don’t remember signing up for?
It doesn’t seem possible, since I’ve only had this address for about a month and can remember everyone I’ve given it to. Plus, I don’t know any high schools in that area of Northern California, and why would they pay so much for postage to send a blank piece of paper and a Snickers in a separate envelope?
Hi Kimberly,
I’m going to say that it was your soulmate who sent you the packages. The snickers bar is more a play on words, rather than the bar itself (and maybe the “nut” ingredient!).
I have two thoughts on the blank pages, noting that the invisible ink option has already put forward…I will say that it is either (a) something written on a page above, and you’ll need to rub a pencil over it to see the image; or, (b) it’s intentionally blank to provide a canvas for you to create some new writings.
I’m going to have to say you’ll need to look to your man to find out more…
Cheers and Good Luck,
Daniel
Daniel,
Nice metaphorical and symbol interpretation. But, alas, there is one flaw to your theory. My soul mate is sitting right next to me and has not been in Northern California, ever, nor does he know anyone from there. How can this be?
Examine the Snickers bar. Has the wrapper been tampered with? Is there anything hidden inside the bar, like a KEY?
Okay, it’s time. I’m opening the Snickers bar. Du du du du Du Du. (that’s supposed to sound like Jaws soundtrack, btw)
*suspense*
🙁 Sadly, nothing but a smooshed Snickers. No evidence of package tampering either.
It was me! I sent you strange things so that you would set up a “solve the mystery” contest and I could use it to win a free book! How clever am I? *smokes cigar* I love it when a plan comes together.
You ARE good! Evil genius at work here, no doubt. Now I must know, HOW did you get my address? Who must I kill? (Or mind control) to make sure it never leaks again?? 🙂
the company that owns the p.o. box may not be involved but that doesn’t mean an employee of that company can be ruled out say the on who picks up the mail for that box.
True. Unfortunately, they can’t release the name of the company to me. But they are calling them.
if it were just the one package with the candy bar i can understand an accidental blank invoice i’ve had that happen to me but that second envelope is weird. one things for sure it’s defiantly a woman because of the hand writing and the fact that it’s purple and not white. there are ways of getting your address but it’s kind of scary to think of people at the real estate company, anyone in your kids school office ect… but why would anyone go to so much trouble to send you a candy bar and blank paper and not take credit for it.
That’s just it, sure, my kids school and my landlord has this address, but they live locally, in Washington. This was mailed from California! Doesn’t make sense!
and you said you used to live in that area where the package originated maybe someone from your past found you and the candy bar has a significant meaning you just don’t remember but this other person thinks you should. i know that doesn’t explain how they found your address but it could be a place to start
I’ve never eaten or liked Snickers, so I’m not sure what symbol they would offer, but I get what you’re saying. I didn’t know a lot of people there and didn’t live there long, so I just don’t know. So weird!
Please repost the third picture – can’t see any details.
It’s the picture itself, I’ll have to retake it. I have to run for a bit, but I’ll retake it when I’m back. Though it’s basically the same info as on the other picture with the purple envelope. It’s the back address.
Hold the envelope and papers up to a light and see if you can see anything through them.
Watermark, shadow(s) that shouldn’t be there, something like that…
Tried that, nothing!
try black or uv light to look at the paper
^ This ^
I don’t have black or uv light. Any other way to duplicate that? I used fire, water, pencil, sun and indoor lighting.
i don’t know how you would duplicate that but they sale black light bulbs at any store my kids have invisible ink pens with a black light attached to it that i bought for $1 at walmart
I want to see the front of the lavender envelope too!
Ok, when I’m back on I’ll post that. I just have to cover my own address, or who knows how many Snickers bars I’ll start to receive via certified mail! It would be a mad house. The least they could do was send a candy bar I like… Midnight Milky Way perhaps… or a dark mint chocolate bar! lol
There could be a clue in the handwriting or something.
Rip open the padded envelope so you can the insides and see if anything might be concealed or revealed there? A micro-dot inside one of the air bubbles, maybe? LOL
Anything further on this?
Nothing new. Just posted an update!
I suspect the person to be an admirer/stalker who wants so badly to acquire you magnificent writing art. They planted microscopic chips into all the snickers in hopes you will eat at least one. That way they can clone your DNA by using the microscopic chips to report back to home base. Ta da!!!! Then have their own personal Kimberly Kinrade clone to use for their very own story ideas 😀
You are so cute, Jessica! I can’t imagine another me running around, that’s scary! lol Though it would help me get more done if I could clone myself. Well, actually, I’d probably just add more to do!
Very simple. As we all know USPS can already send packages forward in time so that they arrive years after they were sent. However in 2053, they will find a way to send packages back in time. The future Kimberly Kinrade regrets that she never wrote a science fiction mystery, so she sends these two items back in time to 2012. Kimberly 2012 puts the story on her website and as a result gets a brilliant idea for a sci-fi novel which makes her rich beyond the dreams of mere mortals.
LOVE IT! I’m liking the rich beyond the dreams of mere mortals part especially! This is a very clever explanation! 🙂
just stopping by to see if anythings been figured out.
Hey Kimberly,
I just recieved a certified letter in my name yesterday and I worked second shift so I had my hubby go pick it up for me today. It is a thick cream colored envelope with my name and address on the front and no return address. Sent from zip coed 92101 which is San Diego, CA.
My hubby opened it and it’s just 2 blank computer pages folded up like a letter. I am freaked out and so is my hubby. I am going back to my Post Office, do you think they have to have a return address for it? The certified mail reciept sender unknown…who would do this and intentionally send me 2 blank pages in the mail? I don’t have any outstanding debt/loans.
My letter was sent on April 6th 2012….ughhh:(
I don’t like this one bit, I’ll keep you updated on what I find out from the post office tomorrow!
Maria
That is freaky and bizarre! OMG! Please let me know. I have no further clues and NO IDEA who sent me these weird packages or why. It’s very creepy!
anything new on the mystery front?
I kept waiting and waiting, hoping I would learn something more, but nothing. I have no idea what on earth this was all about, but I think I’m not going to find out and so it’s time to pick a winner! 🙂
EMAIL ME!!! I got one too. Mine is slightly different…I got a Reese’s pb cup instead of a snickers..and no blank pages, or letter to follow. Freaky stuff. I notified the post offices in town, as well as the owners of the local stores to keep an eye out.
Crazy! I’ll email you right now!
I live in Lakeport and there’s a website on Facebook for selling stuff in our county and such and someone posted a picture of an envelope that showed up at their house just like that but it was addressed from 9731 state hwy 281 pmb#5008 Kelseyville CA 95451 which is about 20 min away from the address on your package.
That’s BIZARRRE! So they had blank paper, and candy? Was it certified? Did they say anything else about it? I haven’t had any leads since the last update on this site, so I have no idea what this was about. I hate unsolved mysteries!
I have solved the mystery…One question for the win…Have you ever purchased anything from Clearlake Auto Brokers?? Boom. lol. My sweetie pie got the same letter yesterday 🙂
OMG I think I did! I know I bought a car in Clearlake YEARS ago, and though it seems a bit odd that they would have my new address so fast, it’s not entirely unlikely. You DID solve it. But why would they send anonymous candy with no notes, via registered mail? I think a lot of people would not trust candy from someone they didn’t know, and they didn’t even post their own address. Weird! But wow, you are incredible!!
Email me and let me know what book of mine you would like and what version, (Nook et al–epub, mobi (Kindle) or PDF) and I’ll send that to you. Also, if you send me your address, I’ll send you a signed Forbidden postcard as a thank you for figuring out the mystery that has been plaguing me FOREVER! xo
I googled this and found your post. I know it has been about a year ago…but today I received an envelope with my name handwritten, no return address, and a blank piece of paper inside. Very curious indeed. I live in Florida though. I will keep searching the web for others like us. =)
So bizarre! I’m glad you found me. We should start a weird sort of club for this. lol Let me know if you uncover anything. I never did learn more than what I posted here, though my fans had some fun theories if you read the comments! 🙂 We tried EVERYTHING to unravel this to no avail, but maybe new info has popped up since then!