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964 entries.
Hello Bruce, my name is Bryan. I really enjoyed your short story "Old Glory" and hoped it were an actual book! I also did the play dragonslayers in fourth grade, but I really want to know is why you killed gran-da
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Bryan -Glad you enjoyed "Old Glory" It does appear in a couple of books: the anthology 2041, edited by Jane Yolen, and also my own collection of short stories, ODDS ARE GOOD. (That collection has 18 stories by me in all.)
As to Gran-da . . . well, first off, I didn't kill him, the SOS guys did! ;>
But his willingness to die for his right to speak his mind, and the fact that in the society that exists in the story you could be killed for doing just that, was the whole point of the story.
BC
As to Gran-da . . . well, first off, I didn't kill him, the SOS guys did! ;>
But his willingness to die for his right to speak his mind, and the fact that in the society that exists in the story you could be killed for doing just that, was the whole point of the story.
BC
I really enjoyed the short story, "Old Glory". I liked the future setting and how crazy grandpa was. How did you come up with such and interesting story Mr. Coville?
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Jason
The idea for this story came from pure rage when I saw our government working to push away the idea of freedom of speech. This was about 20 years ago, and it still makes me angry! I believe in our Bill of Rights!
BC
The idea for this story came from pure rage when I saw our government working to push away the idea of freedom of speech. This was about 20 years ago, and it still makes me angry! I believe in our Bill of Rights!
BC
Dear Mr. Coville
I find your story extremely interesting. It was one of thoses kind of things where you can't stop reading until it stops but I have a couple of questions. What is a holo? Is it a holographic form of TV? And does the SOS try to eliminate all freedom of speech?
I find your story extremely interesting. It was one of thoses kind of things where you can't stop reading until it stops but I have a couple of questions. What is a holo? Is it a holographic form of TV? And does the SOS try to eliminate all freedom of speech?
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Sophie -
You've got it right . . . the "holo" is 3-D kind of television that plays in your living room floor as if the whole scene was happening there in real life.
The SOS is not out to eliminate all forms of freedom of speech - only the speech they disagree with. Which, of course, means no freedom at all.
BC
You've got it right . . . the "holo" is 3-D kind of television that plays in your living room floor as if the whole scene was happening there in real life.
The SOS is not out to eliminate all forms of freedom of speech - only the speech they disagree with. Which, of course, means no freedom at all.
BC
Where did you get your ideas from for the short story "Old Glory"?
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Jean-Pierre -
I wrote this story in a fit of anger when the first Bush president was trying to cut away at freedom of speech in America in order for some short-term political gain.
I thought it was unconscionable, and wrote "Old Glory" as a kind of push-back.
BC
I wrote this story in a fit of anger when the first Bush president was trying to cut away at freedom of speech in America in order for some short-term political gain.
I thought it was unconscionable, and wrote "Old Glory" as a kind of push-back.
BC
I like reading your books. I think you are a good author and I have always enjoyed your books. I really like your writing style and have read your books since i was a kid.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Tristan -
Thanks for the kind words!
BC
Thanks for the kind words!
BC
Hi,
I read "Old Glory" with my class and I liked your way of writing and I would read more for sure. Thank you
I read "Old Glory" with my class and I liked your way of writing and I would read more for sure. Thank you
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Mufasa -
Glad you liked the story!
BC
Glad you liked the story!
BC
Hi! My question for you is, do you believe all the things that you wrote about in your short story "Old Glory" will come true in the future? Thanks so much!!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Margo -
This is a good question.
I do not necessarily think that the things I wrote about in "Old Glory" WILL come true, but I do think they MIGHT come true. This is the reason for writing this kind of story. It is a kind of warning bell. It is a way of saying, "Watch out! This is what could happen if you don't guard your freedoms!"
All best,
BC
This is a good question.
I do not necessarily think that the things I wrote about in "Old Glory" WILL come true, but I do think they MIGHT come true. This is the reason for writing this kind of story. It is a kind of warning bell. It is a way of saying, "Watch out! This is what could happen if you don't guard your freedoms!"
All best,
BC
Hi mr.covillle my class recently read old glory and I have some questions because the short story old glory is about the freedom of speech being took away and I have read some of your other books that have a different genre why did you write old glory in science fiction.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Harmini -
There is a very simple reason why I wrote "Old Glory" as science fiction - I was invited to write a short story for a science fiction anthology, and this was the idea that I came up with!
In other words, the reason I got the idea was that I was thinking about what life might be like in the not too distant future . . . and thinking about trends that I see in our own time that I find disturbing.
BC
There is a very simple reason why I wrote "Old Glory" as science fiction - I was invited to write a short story for a science fiction anthology, and this was the idea that I came up with!
In other words, the reason I got the idea was that I was thinking about what life might be like in the not too distant future . . . and thinking about trends that I see in our own time that I find disturbing.
BC
Hi Bruce Coville!
I just read "Old Glory" in my ELA class, and I was wondering if as a writer, you wondered if you would have written Donald as not deciding to call the Uncle and siding with his Grand-Da. Did you ever feel inclined to have an ending where Donald felt more than "a little sad" at killing his great grandfather? Or is this there to show that in this generation, killing a family member if they are breaking the government's laws is more important than siding with them when they are wrong.
Thanks,
Alethea
I just read "Old Glory" in my ELA class, and I was wondering if as a writer, you wondered if you would have written Donald as not deciding to call the Uncle and siding with his Grand-Da. Did you ever feel inclined to have an ending where Donald felt more than "a little sad" at killing his great grandfather? Or is this there to show that in this generation, killing a family member if they are breaking the government's laws is more important than siding with them when they are wrong.
Thanks,
Alethea
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Alethea -
That's a good question, but the answer is nope. I never thought of ending the story any other way. I wanted to show how brain-washed Donald had become because of the way kids were being taught, what the values of this culture were.
One reason to write science fiction is to pursue the thought "If this goes on . . . " I was thinking about censorship, and did an "If this goes on" story to talk about its dangers.
BC
That's a good question, but the answer is nope. I never thought of ending the story any other way. I wanted to show how brain-washed Donald had become because of the way kids were being taught, what the values of this culture were.
One reason to write science fiction is to pursue the thought "If this goes on . . . " I was thinking about censorship, and did an "If this goes on" story to talk about its dangers.
BC
We just read "old glory" today and I was wondering what got you to write about that and I can kind of relate when you say my crazy grandad because my grandpa is kinda crazy to but I love it and when I read the end of the story I was really shocked that the kid let his grandad get shot for speaking his mind. Also I saw that there was no freedom of speech that was very shocking and made me think what the world would be like I think it would be very twisted, I don't know if you remember me but I wrote to you when I was in 3rd grade I'm in 8th grade one and I just want to say I love your books and short stories
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi Melissa -
I'm glad you were shocked by the end of the story . . . it was meant to be shocking. But not just for the sake of shock. I wanted it to provoke people to think about where we might be headed if we are not careful.
I'm glad you've been enjoying my books and stories for all these years!
BC
I'm glad you were shocked by the end of the story . . . it was meant to be shocking. But not just for the sake of shock. I wanted it to provoke people to think about where we might be headed if we are not careful.
I'm glad you've been enjoying my books and stories for all these years!
BC