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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:
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Hi Mr. Coville,
I'm a college student/aspiring writer and have recently started looking back at books that I read as a kid and preteen. I don't remember which of your books I found first, but I just remember that once I started reading them they were all I read until I'd exhausted the library's supply. I remember my anticipation reading the books in the Aliens Ate My Homework and I Was A Sixth Grade Alien series, as well as finding the kindness of the characters in the Magic Shop books charming. I particularly remember when I read Odder Than Ever. I was reading through the stories and came to "Am I Blue?". I was a scared closeted kid trying to come to terms with being gay and that was the first time I'd ever seen someone like me represented in a book. I didn't know you, but it was a nice, unexpected reassurance that there were people out there who were accepting of people like me, and seeing a story like that by my favorite author was great. I'm writing just to say thank you for all the great books I enjoyed as a kid and for having a gay kid in one of your stories. I never saw gay people included in anything as a kid, and it was a great surprise to feel like someone like me could be represented and accepted.
I'm a college student/aspiring writer and have recently started looking back at books that I read as a kid and preteen. I don't remember which of your books I found first, but I just remember that once I started reading them they were all I read until I'd exhausted the library's supply. I remember my anticipation reading the books in the Aliens Ate My Homework and I Was A Sixth Grade Alien series, as well as finding the kindness of the characters in the Magic Shop books charming. I particularly remember when I read Odder Than Ever. I was reading through the stories and came to "Am I Blue?". I was a scared closeted kid trying to come to terms with being gay and that was the first time I'd ever seen someone like me represented in a book. I didn't know you, but it was a nice, unexpected reassurance that there were people out there who were accepting of people like me, and seeing a story like that by my favorite author was great. I'm writing just to say thank you for all the great books I enjoyed as a kid and for having a gay kid in one of your stories. I never saw gay people included in anything as a kid, and it was a great surprise to feel like someone like me could be represented and accepted.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Eric -
Thanks for this lovely message. I'm delighted, of course, that you remember the books with such fondness. But I'm even more pleased to know that "Am I Blue?" was helpful to you. It sounds as if you were exactly the kind of kid I was trying to reach when I wrote that story, a kid like I had been myself.
I wish you much luck with your own writing.
All best,
BC
Thanks for this lovely message. I'm delighted, of course, that you remember the books with such fondness. But I'm even more pleased to know that "Am I Blue?" was helpful to you. It sounds as if you were exactly the kind of kid I was trying to reach when I wrote that story, a kid like I had been myself.
I wish you much luck with your own writing.
All best,
BC