Welcome to the Guestbook!
I’m always eager to read your comments about my books and stories, so please feel free to pitch in. Here are a few things for you to know:
1) I answer the messages here personally.
2) No message shows up here until I actually answer it to prevent spam and other inappropriate postings. So there will sometimes be a delay before your message posts, especially if I am traveling.
3) Teachers, a gentle request: Please do not have multiple children send me variants of the same message. A group email is much easier to respond to and not such a drain on my time. My thanks in advance for being alert to this.
Sign the Guestbook!
My name is Lucas. I am a third grade student at Johnson Elementary in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. We are working on an author study project this year and I chose you because your books look fun to read. I also had to pick three of your books to read. I chose Aliens Ate My Homework, I left My Sneakers in Dimension X, and Aliens Stole My Body.
So far I have completed Aliens Ate my Homework. I liked reading it and I really liked the ending when the Aliens gave Rob a small volcano after they destroyed his big one. What gave you the idea to write this book? Also, what does BKR stand for?
I am reading I Left My Sneaker in Dimension X now and I think it is really good. Are you working on any new books now? Why did you become a writer and do you like it?
Sincerely,
Lucas
So far I have completed Aliens Ate my Homework. I liked reading it and I really liked the ending when the Aliens gave Rob a small volcano after they destroyed his big one. What gave you the idea to write this book? Also, what does BKR stand for?
I am reading I Left My Sneaker in Dimension X now and I think it is really good. Are you working on any new books now? Why did you become a writer and do you like it?
Sincerely,
Lucas
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Lucas -
Thanks for this message. I'm delighted that you have chosen me for your Author Study, and particularly delighted that you are focusing on the Rod Allbright books. Rod is the only character I ever based totally and completely on myself, so I have a special fondness for that series.
The beginnings of the book are somewhat odd. I had had a great success with "My Teacher Is an Alien" and I wanted to do another alien story (I have always been fascinated by aliens) and the title "Aliens Ate My Goldfish" popped into my head. I thought it was kind of hilarious, and had the idea that the cover image would show some little aliens broiling a goldfish over a campfire on a kid's dresser.
Wow! What a terrible idea!
Then I had the idea of changing it to "Ate My Homework", playing off the famous kid phrase "the dog ate my homework." That seemed less interesting to me but when I tried it out on friends and kids in schools they thought it was WAY better than the "goldfish" idea.
Part of where the story came from is that when I was a kid my best friend Mike (he appears as "Mickey" in the book) and I used to make up stories about tiny imaginary aliens.
I am indeed working on a new book . . . which is, oddly enough, an old book. It is called - for now, at least - THE WINDLORD'S HORN, and it is a sweeping adventure story that I started writing over 40 years ago. I love the idea, and it will not let go of me. (In case you haven't figured it out, I am very stubborn about ideas!)
Why did I become a writer? The most simple answer is also the most true one: I loved - LOVED - books so much that I wanted to make my own.
Thanks for reading my stories.
BC
Thanks for this message. I'm delighted that you have chosen me for your Author Study, and particularly delighted that you are focusing on the Rod Allbright books. Rod is the only character I ever based totally and completely on myself, so I have a special fondness for that series.
The beginnings of the book are somewhat odd. I had had a great success with "My Teacher Is an Alien" and I wanted to do another alien story (I have always been fascinated by aliens) and the title "Aliens Ate My Goldfish" popped into my head. I thought it was kind of hilarious, and had the idea that the cover image would show some little aliens broiling a goldfish over a campfire on a kid's dresser.
Wow! What a terrible idea!
Then I had the idea of changing it to "Ate My Homework", playing off the famous kid phrase "the dog ate my homework." That seemed less interesting to me but when I tried it out on friends and kids in schools they thought it was WAY better than the "goldfish" idea.
Part of where the story came from is that when I was a kid my best friend Mike (he appears as "Mickey" in the book) and I used to make up stories about tiny imaginary aliens.
I am indeed working on a new book . . . which is, oddly enough, an old book. It is called - for now, at least - THE WINDLORD'S HORN, and it is a sweeping adventure story that I started writing over 40 years ago. I love the idea, and it will not let go of me. (In case you haven't figured it out, I am very stubborn about ideas!)
Why did I become a writer? The most simple answer is also the most true one: I loved - LOVED - books so much that I wanted to make my own.
Thanks for reading my stories.
BC