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.
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964 entries.
Hello Bruce! I am a college student now, but I still love your books, especially the Unicorn Chronicles and the Magic Shop ones. Those books introduced me to fantasy when I was a kid and shaped my love for the genre - unicorns have never been so awesome! Thank you for writing them, you've inspired so many people and brought the beauty of worlds beyond our own to our minds and our hearts. When I think of the world of Luster and its inhabitants, I still feel wonder and awe.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Amy -
Thanks for this lovely message. Your fond memories of the Unicorn Chronicles truly fill me with delight.
BC
Thanks for this lovely message. Your fond memories of the Unicorn Chronicles truly fill me with delight.
BC
Dear Mr. Coville,
As a child and teen, your writing inspired me to many creative endeavors, and opened my mind the whole wide world.
Your "I was a Sixth Grade Alien", "Magic Shop", "My Teacher is an Alien", and The Rod Albright Adventures are my favorite books that I own.
Even now as I approach 30, I still read them, if only to surround myself in the vivid settings and deep characters you created.
I always wondered if you ever thought about continuing Pleskit's adventures as a teenager or young-adult? Or if you ever thought about writing more in the Magic Shop series?
Maybe it's the kid in me wanting to continue those awesome memories.
As one human being to another, I want to thank you for sharing with the world your incredible gift, and for making my childhood so extraordinary.
-Dan Sibble from Ohio
As a child and teen, your writing inspired me to many creative endeavors, and opened my mind the whole wide world.
Your "I was a Sixth Grade Alien", "Magic Shop", "My Teacher is an Alien", and The Rod Albright Adventures are my favorite books that I own.
Even now as I approach 30, I still read them, if only to surround myself in the vivid settings and deep characters you created.
I always wondered if you ever thought about continuing Pleskit's adventures as a teenager or young-adult? Or if you ever thought about writing more in the Magic Shop series?
Maybe it's the kid in me wanting to continue those awesome memories.
As one human being to another, I want to thank you for sharing with the world your incredible gift, and for making my childhood so extraordinary.
-Dan Sibble from Ohio
Reply by Bruce Coville
Dan! Many thanks for this heartfelt and heart-lifting message. I'm delighted to know that these books have meant so much to you . . . and equally delighted that they continue to be important to you.
Alas, I don't have good news on the Sixth Grade Alien fron. While the other three series you mentioned have been very successful, the adventures of Tim and Pleskit did not find a very large audience. (In point of fact, as far as sales go they were a disaster!) This saddened me, as I poured over two years of my life into writing those books, and truly loved the characters. But for some reason they never caught on. (I think one problem was the cover of the first book, which got the series off to a weak start, alas.)
I do have an idea for another book in the Magic Shop series. I was on the outs with the publisher of that series for a while, but things have settled down, and maybe I'll even be able to write it someday!
I hope all is well in your world. Thank you again for letting me know how much the books have meant to you.
BC
Alas, I don't have good news on the Sixth Grade Alien fron. While the other three series you mentioned have been very successful, the adventures of Tim and Pleskit did not find a very large audience. (In point of fact, as far as sales go they were a disaster!) This saddened me, as I poured over two years of my life into writing those books, and truly loved the characters. But for some reason they never caught on. (I think one problem was the cover of the first book, which got the series off to a weak start, alas.)
I do have an idea for another book in the Magic Shop series. I was on the outs with the publisher of that series for a while, but things have settled down, and maybe I'll even be able to write it someday!
I hope all is well in your world. Thank you again for letting me know how much the books have meant to you.
BC
Hi This is from Mr. Barde's students who will skype with you next week!
Mrs. Burke is typing this message for students:
Your books sound really fun and I want to read the Foolish Giant.
I want to read the World's Worst Fairy GodMother.
I want to say, Happy Birthday and I hope you have the best birthday ever!
What inspired you to make the Mad Brownie?
We wish Mrs. Burke would let us go check-out books!!!
From Mr. Barke's Class at Bridlemile School
Mrs. Burke is typing this message for students:
Your books sound really fun and I want to read the Foolish Giant.
I want to read the World's Worst Fairy GodMother.
I want to say, Happy Birthday and I hope you have the best birthday ever!
What inspired you to make the Mad Brownie?
We wish Mrs. Burke would let us go check-out books!!!
From Mr. Barke's Class at Bridlemile School
Reply by Bruce Coville
Ahoy Mr. Barde's 3rd Grade! I'm looking forward to chatting with you next week.
Thanks for the birthday wishes . . . I did indeed have a great day!
We'll talk about MAD BROWNIE, and other things, when we do our Skype visit next week. Hope you'll have questions ready for me!
Bruce Coville
Thanks for the birthday wishes . . . I did indeed have a great day!
We'll talk about MAD BROWNIE, and other things, when we do our Skype visit next week. Hope you'll have questions ready for me!
Bruce Coville
Hi Bruce,
I'm in my late 20's now, but I'd like you to know how much I loved your books as a kid, and how much they made me happy and stimulated my imagination. I particularly enjoyed all of your short stories, the Unicorn Chronicles, and the Magic Shop series. I also loved the full cast audiobook versions of your books. I recently purchased "The Skull of Truth" from an audiobook website, and it brought back so many memories. I personally believe (though I haven't read all of your books) that it's one of your best works, and the cast is so good! (Particularly Daniel Bostick as Yorick - so funny and moving! I hope he knows how good he is.) Thank you for helping to create some really great memories for me.
I'm in my late 20's now, but I'd like you to know how much I loved your books as a kid, and how much they made me happy and stimulated my imagination. I particularly enjoyed all of your short stories, the Unicorn Chronicles, and the Magic Shop series. I also loved the full cast audiobook versions of your books. I recently purchased "The Skull of Truth" from an audiobook website, and it brought back so many memories. I personally believe (though I haven't read all of your books) that it's one of your best works, and the cast is so good! (Particularly Daniel Bostick as Yorick - so funny and moving! I hope he knows how good he is.) Thank you for helping to create some really great memories for me.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hey, Nolan -
Thanks for this message. I LOVE knowing that some of my readers continue to cherish the books and stories long after they have (theoretically) "grown out of them."
It especially delights me to know your opinion of SKULL OF TRUTH. It's not my most popular book, but I do think that in literary terms (characterization, themes, imagery, subplots) it may be the best I've ever done. And directing Dan Bostick as Yorick in the audio version was a pure delight.
Thanks for checking in here!
BC
Thanks for this message. I LOVE knowing that some of my readers continue to cherish the books and stories long after they have (theoretically) "grown out of them."
It especially delights me to know your opinion of SKULL OF TRUTH. It's not my most popular book, but I do think that in literary terms (characterization, themes, imagery, subplots) it may be the best I've ever done. And directing Dan Bostick as Yorick in the audio version was a pure delight.
Thanks for checking in here!
BC
your books are amazing
Reply by Bruce Coville
Thank you, Clayton!
BC
BC
Hi I am a really big fan of your book Dragon of Doom. My favorite part was when Edward was sneaking up on the dragon and when he saw him he was so tiny and that that was the dragon that was watching the acorns. At first I thought that it was a baby learning how to watch the acorns. I really really liked your books.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Thanks, Ayla. I had so much fun writing the Moongobble books. It was fun, too, that my wife was doing the illustrations, so we got to do a lot of brainstorming together about the stories and pictures.
BC
BC
My favorite part of your book dragon of doom was when Edward climbed up to the dragons cave and found out that the dragon was actually little.
From: lukas
From: lukas
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Lukas -
I'm glad you enjoyed that scene. It was actually my wife's idea to have the dragon be small.
My wife is a very smart lady!
BC
I'm glad you enjoyed that scene. It was actually my wife's idea to have the dragon be small.
My wife is a very smart lady!
BC
I was supposed to write to you telling you my favorite part of the Dragon of Doom for a class assignment but unfortunatly I don't have one.
Regrets, Everett
Regrets, Everett
Reply by Bruce Coville
That's too bad, Everett. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the book more.
BC
BC
Am reading the Unicorn Chronicles with some young friends. Book 4 cost me a bunch. I understand why as I read one of your previous replies in your guestbook. Any chance you will make these four books into e-books at some time in the future? Would love to have them this way.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Mary -
Thanks for this, and my apologies that you had to pay so much for that fourth book. I appreciate your understanding on the matter.
My agent and I are working to find a new print publisher for the books, and it is very likely that any such deal will also include plans for ebook versions. So while I can't make any guarantees right now, it is indeed likely that there will be ebooks of these novels at some point.
Thanks for checking in here.
BC
Thanks for this, and my apologies that you had to pay so much for that fourth book. I appreciate your understanding on the matter.
My agent and I are working to find a new print publisher for the books, and it is very likely that any such deal will also include plans for ebook versions. So while I can't make any guarantees right now, it is indeed likely that there will be ebooks of these novels at some point.
Thanks for checking in here.
BC
Hi, Mr. Coville. My best friend and I LOVE your Unicorn Chronicles books. She has all but the Last Hunt. Her 13th birthday is coming up and I wanted to do something special: get her the Last Hunt. But I can't find it anywhere for less than $20 as a paperback! So my question is: why is it so expensive? ~Dru
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Dru - Glad to know that you and your best friend LOVE the Chronicles!
One thing that many people do not understand is that unless a book is self-published, the author has nothing to do with the price. That is determined by the publisher . . . or, in the case of used books, by the bookseller.
The reason THE LAST HUNT is so expensive is that Scholastic, for reasons I have never understood, chose not to release a paperback edition. (Any version you find in paperback is almost certainly an ARC - an "Advance Readers Copy" sent out for reviews.) Because there was no paperback the book is fairly rare, and people who do have it are holding on to it. So used booksellers are charging a lot of money for it.
I have regained the rights to the books, and my agent and I are seeking a new publisher to bring them back into print. But even if we found the new publisher today, it would probably be a year or more before they are available.
I understand your frustration . . . believe me, I am frustrated by this, too! But the matter of availability has entirely to do with the publisher.
I am sorry I do not have better news for you.
Bruce Coville
One thing that many people do not understand is that unless a book is self-published, the author has nothing to do with the price. That is determined by the publisher . . . or, in the case of used books, by the bookseller.
The reason THE LAST HUNT is so expensive is that Scholastic, for reasons I have never understood, chose not to release a paperback edition. (Any version you find in paperback is almost certainly an ARC - an "Advance Readers Copy" sent out for reviews.) Because there was no paperback the book is fairly rare, and people who do have it are holding on to it. So used booksellers are charging a lot of money for it.
I have regained the rights to the books, and my agent and I are seeking a new publisher to bring them back into print. But even if we found the new publisher today, it would probably be a year or more before they are available.
I understand your frustration . . . believe me, I am frustrated by this, too! But the matter of availability has entirely to do with the publisher.
I am sorry I do not have better news for you.
Bruce Coville