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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:
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.
Hi Bruce,
I am reading your book Jeremy Thatcher so far I really like this book! How did you come up with Jeremy Thatcher?
I am reading your book Jeremy Thatcher so far I really like this book! How did you come up with Jeremy Thatcher?
Reply by Bruce Coville
I usually start writing and as I work, the character begins to reveal himself or herself to me. I will know a few things in advance, but mostly I put them in situations and try to figure out how they will react.
Hi Bruce where any of the characters in the book based on you, if so who?
Reply by Bruce Coville
Not really. Jeremy's dad is the closest, but none of them are really based on me.
I love ur characters names and personality.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Thanks! I'm rather fond of them myself! ;>
Dear Bruce, This message is for your wife, Katherine, whose book I just finished reading last night after having purchased it at the Rochester Book Festival. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It reminded me of a Bronte novel and I loved the fairy tale setting. It had suspense, romance, even politics! I loved that it also had a lot of good vocabulary which, as an aspiring writer myself, I appreciate. It was an awesome first novel and I think it's sweet that you were such a help to your wife.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Mary -
Thanks for this lovely message. I immediately passed it on to Kathy - who is away staying with our daughter-in-law to help out with the recently born twins! I'm sure it will give her great delight!
Good luck with your own writing!
All best
BC
Thanks for this lovely message. I immediately passed it on to Kathy - who is away staying with our daughter-in-law to help out with the recently born twins! I'm sure it will give her great delight!
Good luck with your own writing!
All best
BC
Hi Mr Coville, I love your books. I get some of your books on audible, I was lucky enough to find I was a sixth grade alien, but couldn't find any of the following books. Looking on amazon I only found the paperbacks, now don't get me wrong I love actual books but if I bought every book I want, I'd be swimming in them. Are you planning on releasing them on kindle. I'd love to know. Thanks Christina
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Christina -
Thanks for this message - really delighted that you like SIXTH GRADE ALIEN. There were 12 books in all, but only the first three were recorded. I have =cassette= versions of them, but they were never digitized. If you would like to have cassette editions I would be happy to provide them for only the cost of p&h.
I don't control releasing the books on Kindle, but the publisher, Simon & Schuster, =was supposed to do exactly that!= I'm annoyed that they haven't done so! Publishing. Grrrrr.
Anyway, I'm glad that you enjoy the stories.
All best
BC
Thanks for this message - really delighted that you like SIXTH GRADE ALIEN. There were 12 books in all, but only the first three were recorded. I have =cassette= versions of them, but they were never digitized. If you would like to have cassette editions I would be happy to provide them for only the cost of p&h.
I don't control releasing the books on Kindle, but the publisher, Simon & Schuster, =was supposed to do exactly that!= I'm annoyed that they haven't done so! Publishing. Grrrrr.
Anyway, I'm glad that you enjoy the stories.
All best
BC
Dear Bruce Coville,
My name is Paige, and I am 11 years old. I have read your magic shop books, your Unicorn Chronicles (except the short stories), The monsters of Morley manor,and my teacher is an alien. Those are the only ones I can find. I was wondering where you got inspiration for them. Please write back!
My name is Paige, and I am 11 years old. I have read your magic shop books, your Unicorn Chronicles (except the short stories), The monsters of Morley manor,and my teacher is an alien. Those are the only ones I can find. I was wondering where you got inspiration for them. Please write back!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Paige -
Thanks for this lovely message! I've published over a hundred books, and you've managed to pick out some of my top favorites from among them!
As to inspiration, it comes from all kinds of places . . . everything you do, everything you see, everyone you meet can spark a story. The thing to remember is that there is rarely only one inspiration for a book. You need many, many elements to make it work.
For example, the basic inspiration for the Magic Shop books is that I always wanted to find a real magic shop when I was a kid. (I never did, so I wrote about it instead.) But in each of the five books, I need to find an inspiration or model or idea for the magical item, for the main character, for the character's most important problem. Many inspirations! The trick is to keep your eyes and ears open, and save things in your heart.
I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season.
BC
Thanks for this lovely message! I've published over a hundred books, and you've managed to pick out some of my top favorites from among them!
As to inspiration, it comes from all kinds of places . . . everything you do, everything you see, everyone you meet can spark a story. The thing to remember is that there is rarely only one inspiration for a book. You need many, many elements to make it work.
For example, the basic inspiration for the Magic Shop books is that I always wanted to find a real magic shop when I was a kid. (I never did, so I wrote about it instead.) But in each of the five books, I need to find an inspiration or model or idea for the magical item, for the main character, for the character's most important problem. Many inspirations! The trick is to keep your eyes and ears open, and save things in your heart.
I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season.
BC
First of, I have to admit I hadn't heard of you until I was assigned one of your works in a Children's Literature university course.
With that aside I want to say that reading the work 'Am I Blue?' not only made me laugh but also reduced me to tears. That entire story really hit home but nothing else I have read this year, outside of "How Smudge Came" by Nan Gregory and my father's obituary that I wrote, has caused this level of emotion within me.
I'd just like to say thank you. Thank you for making a work that has had this kind of affect on me.
With that aside I want to say that reading the work 'Am I Blue?' not only made me laugh but also reduced me to tears. That entire story really hit home but nothing else I have read this year, outside of "How Smudge Came" by Nan Gregory and my father's obituary that I wrote, has caused this level of emotion within me.
I'd just like to say thank you. Thank you for making a work that has had this kind of affect on me.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Ryan -
And my thanks to you for taking the time to let me know how deeply "Am I Blue" affected you! I can tell you that out of all my stories, this is the one I am probably most proud of, because I know - from your response and many others - that it has actually done good in the world.
My very best wishes to you and those you love for a wonderful holiday season.
BC
And my thanks to you for taking the time to let me know how deeply "Am I Blue" affected you! I can tell you that out of all my stories, this is the one I am probably most proud of, because I know - from your response and many others - that it has actually done good in the world.
My very best wishes to you and those you love for a wonderful holiday season.
BC
Hi mr. Coville, first off, my name is crystal and it is so nice to be able to reach out to you. I have drempt about this sense i was a child. I am a 23 year old and have read and collected all of the unicorn chronicals books and i love them so much. I do want to tell you that You are such an inspiring and passionate writer. I have been reading the posts about the situation with schoolastic and i am so infurriated! I have always said it would be such a great teen movie series. It could even be better than the movie the last unicorn. I would get together some documents and or potition and try to get someone to pick the story up, to perhaps transform it into a movie! I had a really hard childhood and these books were my escape and the reason i got into acting in theater. You have assisted me in life in more ways than you will ever know. If you got someone to pick the story up and make it a movie you could reach so many more teens and kids. you should not let them shut you down with this series. Its not nice nor fair to your potential growth and your loyal fans who are heart broken. I am personally ashamed that they acted that way when you have been such an amazing respectable, loyal, and profitable author for them for so long. Please know i urge you to fight for this series. It is a favorite of so many young women. Please dont let this series die out...
Reply by Bruce Coville
Dear Crystal --
Thank you for this lovely and heartfelt message. Your love for the Unicorn Chronicles means a lot to me.
My agent and I are discussing ways to possibly address the situation with Scholastic. I hope we will be able to work something out.
Movies are a much different situation, though. Like you, I think the Unicorn Chronicles would make splendid films. I did not like the idea when the first book came out, as I didn't think a film could really capture the story. But as special effects have gotten better and better over the years, now I think it could be phenomenal. But someone in Hollywood would have to think the same thing in order for this to happen.
Thanks again for this wonderful message.
BC
Thank you for this lovely and heartfelt message. Your love for the Unicorn Chronicles means a lot to me.
My agent and I are discussing ways to possibly address the situation with Scholastic. I hope we will be able to work something out.
Movies are a much different situation, though. Like you, I think the Unicorn Chronicles would make splendid films. I did not like the idea when the first book came out, as I didn't think a film could really capture the story. But as special effects have gotten better and better over the years, now I think it could be phenomenal. But someone in Hollywood would have to think the same thing in order for this to happen.
Thanks again for this wonderful message.
BC
Hello! I have been searching for The Last Hunt for several months now (it was a childhood favorite, and when I learned that two more books had come out I was ecstatic!), but am having difficulty finding a copy. I was wondering if you knew why there's an influx of audio books (which I have nothing against, but personally would rather have a hard copy) or copies that are close to a hundred dollars?
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, TJ -
Yep, I can answer both questions. The reason you can't find the book in a reasonably priced print edition is that Scholastic never even bothered to put it out in paperback. I remain furious and heartbroken by this. The reason you can get the audio versions is that I produced those myself, and we have kept them in print and they will remain available in download form.
I would do the same thing with the books, if I could.
Yep, I can answer both questions. The reason you can't find the book in a reasonably priced print edition is that Scholastic never even bothered to put it out in paperback. I remain furious and heartbroken by this. The reason you can get the audio versions is that I produced those myself, and we have kept them in print and they will remain available in download form.
I would do the same thing with the books, if I could.
Dear Bruce,
I love your Moongobble books. They are my favorite. I am your fan. Your books are funny. Please write me back. Please and thank you!
Sincerely,
Malik
3rd grader at Valley View Elementary
I love your Moongobble books. They are my favorite. I am your fan. Your books are funny. Please write me back. Please and thank you!
Sincerely,
Malik
3rd grader at Valley View Elementary
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Malik -
Thanks for this message. I'm glad you love the Moongobble books. I had SO much fun writing them!
If you have read all five of them, you might want to try "The Dragonslayers" next.
Whatever you read next, whether it is one of my books or by someone else, I hope you'll really enjoy it. I love reading!!
BC
Thanks for this message. I'm glad you love the Moongobble books. I had SO much fun writing them!
If you have read all five of them, you might want to try "The Dragonslayers" next.
Whatever you read next, whether it is one of my books or by someone else, I hope you'll really enjoy it. I love reading!!
BC