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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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966 entries.
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
Hey Bruce how are you doing I am fine how are your cats doing I have two dogs and there names are Syidney and Satchael and they are 7 and 8 how aold are your sweet cats. When are you coming out with a new book
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Tova -
We have three cats - Luna, Dolittle, and Esme. We also have (somewhat unexpectedly) a dog, a German Shepherd named Athena. She is usually a good dog, but was very naughty today.
I have a new book coming out in 2016. It will be called HATCHED, and it is about a griffin. I'm not sure yet what month it will be coming out in.
Thanks for writing!
BC
We have three cats - Luna, Dolittle, and Esme. We also have (somewhat unexpectedly) a dog, a German Shepherd named Athena. She is usually a good dog, but was very naughty today.
I have a new book coming out in 2016. It will be called HATCHED, and it is about a griffin. I'm not sure yet what month it will be coming out in.
Thanks for writing!
BC
Mr. Coville, I am writing to you to tell you that when I was 8 I discovered the first story of Cara and the unicorns at a school book fair. As you can imagine, I was ecstatic to find a book where the main character had my name! Cara isn't the most usual name. I was enthralled and read the first book again and again. I could never find the second book and eventually, with life's usual course of events, gave up looking. Recently, at 30 years old, I stumbled upon the series on amazon. I bought the next two installments and continued the amazing story of the girl who shared my name. I am awaiting delivery of the 4th and last book, and I imagine I will become quite emotional when the tale of Cara is complete. You're a fantastic author and I look forward to reading your books to my son, starting with Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher. Thank you for your work. It has given me wonderful memories.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Cara -
Oh, many thanks for this lovely message!
The reason the main character is named Cara is that I based her, in part, on my daughter, who is also named Cara. I had been struggling with the book, couldn't get a handle on the main character. Finally I decided to drop the character I had been trying to develop and just put Cara in her place, asking myself how my daughter would respond to the various things that happened. Suddenly the book began to flow!
I'll be very interested to know what you think of the fourth volume. I nearly broke my brain trying to write it!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
All best,
Bruce Coville
Oh, many thanks for this lovely message!
The reason the main character is named Cara is that I based her, in part, on my daughter, who is also named Cara. I had been struggling with the book, couldn't get a handle on the main character. Finally I decided to drop the character I had been trying to develop and just put Cara in her place, asking myself how my daughter would respond to the various things that happened. Suddenly the book began to flow!
I'll be very interested to know what you think of the fourth volume. I nearly broke my brain trying to write it!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
All best,
Bruce Coville
Hey BC I was a ninja for Halloween and I loved the custom it was a red and black ninja and it looked so cool and your friend Bobby
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi Bobby - Oh, sounds like it was a VERY cool costume! Glad you had fun.
BC
BC
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
Dear author of the wonderful short story "Old Glory",
in my eighth grade ELA class, we are learning how to write short stories and I can't think of any ideas because I think that every story has been written down and there aren't any more to be written. People in my class are writing stories based on others that they've read and they're all similar. I want to write something entirely different something people will learn a lesson out of. But again, I can't think of any idea. How do you come up with all these great stories like the one we read today, "Old Glory", and how did you realize that you had the talent to write???
in my eighth grade ELA class, we are learning how to write short stories and I can't think of any ideas because I think that every story has been written down and there aren't any more to be written. People in my class are writing stories based on others that they've read and they're all similar. I want to write something entirely different something people will learn a lesson out of. But again, I can't think of any idea. How do you come up with all these great stories like the one we read today, "Old Glory", and how did you realize that you had the talent to write???
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Sabrina -
Oh, there are always more stories to write. For a story like "Old Glory" think about what irritates you in the current news. Right now I could probably write a story about how dreadfully we are responding to the crisis of the Syrian refugees.
Watch the news. See what disturbs you. Then use that as a springboard for your stories!
BC
Oh, there are always more stories to write. For a story like "Old Glory" think about what irritates you in the current news. Right now I could probably write a story about how dreadfully we are responding to the crisis of the Syrian refugees.
Watch the news. See what disturbs you. Then use that as a springboard for your stories!
BC
Hi Mr. Coville! I haven't seen you in 4 years, since I met you when you came to Tecumseh Elementary to watch the 4th grade production of "The Dragonslayers" (I played Grizelda if you remember it was so long ago) I have always loved your literature and I have always loved The Dragonslayers. We recently read "Old Glory" in 8th grade ELA. I did happen to have a few questions, like where did you get the inspiration for this story, and why did you choose the names? Thanks and hope you have a nice year!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Wynnie -
Nice to hear from you. I hope you'll see the general answer to questions about "Old Glory" that I posted. I got totally slammed with questions about that tale!
My best wishes for a lovely holiday season!
BC
Nice to hear from you. I hope you'll see the general answer to questions about "Old Glory" that I posted. I got totally slammed with questions about that tale!
My best wishes for a lovely holiday season!
BC
Why did you mention Uncle Sam, if all "he" did was stamp barrels of food with U.S. and they nicknamed that Uncle Sam?
Reply by Bruce Coville
Jack - You're confusing the possible origin of "Uncle Sam" with the mythic status the character has achieved in American culture. What "he" did is far less important than how Americans now view the character.
BC
BC
Hello Bruce Coville's, my name is Whitewolf, yes my name is actually that. Except that's not why i'm contacting you, the reason is because in my English class we just read the Science Fiction short story the "Old Glory." To my opinion, this was really interesting and neat to learn/ know about. If you wrote a whole book on this, i would read it and give it a gold metal, i mean after i've read it this much , i mine as well read a whole book about it. Anyways i really like your short story, it was really interesting to know about i really hope you're doing well to this day. 🙂
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hey, Whitewolf -
Glad you enjoyed the story. I do sometimes expand short stories into full novels, but I'm not sure that would work for this one. It's short and packs a punch partly because it gets to the climax so quickly.
Hope you are having a good week.
BC
Glad you enjoyed the story. I do sometimes expand short stories into full novels, but I'm not sure that would work for this one. It's short and packs a punch partly because it gets to the climax so quickly.
Hope you are having a good week.
BC