In 2008, I had a great internship with an important figure in my field. She told me she would be happy to provide a reference for me, and wrote a letter of recommendation for me on one occasion. A week ago, I asked her to write a letter (or re-send the old one) for my graduate school application, but I've gotten no response. I sent the request again yesterday and still no response. I'm anxious not to make a nuisance of myself, but time is running short, and I'm honestly puzzled by the lack of response from someone who had previously been so eager to help. Her recommendation would go a long way with my prospective graduate program, so I'm very reluctant to give up. I know she's in town because I follow her company on twitter.
My question is: Should I take her silence to mean she does not want to write the letter, or should I contact her assistant and ask if my email has, say, gotten caught in a spam folder? Again, I'm very anxious not to seem like a stalker or like someone who can't take a hint, but I could really use her help.
