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!
Dear Mr.Coville,
I just read your short story "Old Glory" and I really enjoyed it! While writing the story, did you use our current government system as an inspiration, and is this related to the CIA or FBI? Thank You!
I just read your short story "Old Glory" and I really enjoyed it! While writing the story, did you use our current government system as an inspiration, and is this related to the CIA or FBI? Thank You!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Isabella . . . and EVERYONE -
As I have been slammed with over a hundred messages about "Old Glory" I have to give up on answering them all personally. I just can't handle it.
So this is one answer to everyone.
First and foremost, I'm delighted that you all loved the story so much. It is one that I am very proud of.
Oddly, it is an unusual story for me in that it is the only time I can remember that I wrote something out of sheer rage.
Let me explain: Jane Yolen had invited me to write a short story for a futuristic anthology she was editing. As I was casting about for an idea, President George Bush (the father, not the son) was angling for some short term political gain by pushing a constitutional amendment against flag-burning.
I am a first amendment (free speech) absolutist. One of the seeds for a science fiction story is the question "If this goes on" . . . and so I thought, "What happens if this goes on . . . what if we make the flag such a sacred object, and subdue free speech so much that it is worth someone's life to speak his mind . . . what kind of world would that be?"
And from that question came the story.
BC
As I have been slammed with over a hundred messages about "Old Glory" I have to give up on answering them all personally. I just can't handle it.
So this is one answer to everyone.
First and foremost, I'm delighted that you all loved the story so much. It is one that I am very proud of.
Oddly, it is an unusual story for me in that it is the only time I can remember that I wrote something out of sheer rage.
Let me explain: Jane Yolen had invited me to write a short story for a futuristic anthology she was editing. As I was casting about for an idea, President George Bush (the father, not the son) was angling for some short term political gain by pushing a constitutional amendment against flag-burning.
I am a first amendment (free speech) absolutist. One of the seeds for a science fiction story is the question "If this goes on" . . . and so I thought, "What happens if this goes on . . . what if we make the flag such a sacred object, and subdue free speech so much that it is worth someone's life to speak his mind . . . what kind of world would that be?"
And from that question came the story.
BC