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.
Sign the Guestbook!
966 entries.
I love The Unicorn Chronicles!
I noticed that a couple character spin off stories are available on the kindle. My question is, will The Unicorn Chronicles ever be available on the kindle as well? I really hope so! 🙂
Thank you for reading!
I noticed that a couple character spin off stories are available on the kindle. My question is, will The Unicorn Chronicles ever be available on the kindle as well? I really hope so! 🙂
Thank you for reading!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Storm -
So glad you love the Chronicles!
The spin off stories are ones that I posted myself. Scholastic keeps telling me that they're going to make the novels available as ebooks, but so far it's been all talk and no action. I'm pretty unhappy about it by this time. Feel free to write to Scholastic and tell them that you'd really like ebook versions!
Again, REALLY glad that you love the books. I think the fourth book, in particular, is everything I started out to do way back when I was trying to find my way into publishing. I nearly broke my brain writing it, but I sure am proud of the way it came out!
BC
So glad you love the Chronicles!
The spin off stories are ones that I posted myself. Scholastic keeps telling me that they're going to make the novels available as ebooks, but so far it's been all talk and no action. I'm pretty unhappy about it by this time. Feel free to write to Scholastic and tell them that you'd really like ebook versions!
Again, REALLY glad that you love the books. I think the fourth book, in particular, is everything I started out to do way back when I was trying to find my way into publishing. I nearly broke my brain writing it, but I sure am proud of the way it came out!
BC
Hello Mr. Coville,
I just read your book Aliens ate my Homework and I really liked it! I am doing a book report and one of the questions I have to answer is : Is there any part of the authors life that is reflected in the book? Please explain.
I look forward to reading your other books. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.
Martin
I just read your book Aliens ate my Homework and I really liked it! I am doing a book report and one of the questions I have to answer is : Is there any part of the authors life that is reflected in the book? Please explain.
I look forward to reading your other books. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.
Martin
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Martin -
Really glad you enjoyed ALIENS ATE MY HOMEWORK. And your question is interesting, since this book, more than almost any other that I have written, does use a lot from my own life. To begin with, Rod is the only character I've ever based totally upon myself as a kid. The whole bit about him not being able to lie? Absolutely right out of my own history.
Rod's home, with the swamp and the field behind it are also completely based on my own home.
Even the pictures are based on my life, since my wife (who did the art) used pictures of me as a kid as models for drawing Rod.
BC
Really glad you enjoyed ALIENS ATE MY HOMEWORK. And your question is interesting, since this book, more than almost any other that I have written, does use a lot from my own life. To begin with, Rod is the only character I've ever based totally upon myself as a kid. The whole bit about him not being able to lie? Absolutely right out of my own history.
Rod's home, with the swamp and the field behind it are also completely based on my own home.
Even the pictures are based on my life, since my wife (who did the art) used pictures of me as a kid as models for drawing Rod.
BC
Hey Bruce! I have been reading your books since I was around six years old, and I have to say, it's because of you that I myself want to become a writer. I think I was born with a love for unicorns, and that love has not died, I still to this day LOVE unicorns. I would read histories about unicorns for hours, gobbling bits of knowledge about the most beautiful creature created. When I discovered the Unicorn Chronicles, The Unicorn Treasury, and A Glory of Unicorns, and all of your other stories, I was ecstatic. And gosh darn it, the wait for the last two books of the Unicorn Chronicles was excruciating! Sadly, when I went to go buy the Last Hunt, there were none available. I have waited for years for prices to go down, but they just keep going up. Is it possible that The Last Hunt will ever come back?
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Kenra -
I'm so sorry you're having trouble obtaining a copy of THE LAST HUNT. I understand your frustration. I am furious and heartbroken about the way the publisher has failed to keep this available. They told me they were going to release it as an ebook, but they never have.
You can trying writing to Scholastic. They are the ones who control whether the book is available or not.
Regretfully,
Bruce
I'm so sorry you're having trouble obtaining a copy of THE LAST HUNT. I understand your frustration. I am furious and heartbroken about the way the publisher has failed to keep this available. They told me they were going to release it as an ebook, but they never have.
You can trying writing to Scholastic. They are the ones who control whether the book is available or not.
Regretfully,
Bruce
Growing up I have enjoyed some of your books, and still have them today! "A Glory of Unicorns" for example! Time has flown by and I am now graduating this May with a Bachelor's Degree from Cazenovia College! I am in the process of finishing my first children's books! I was wondering how I can go about getting it published? Thank you
Amy
Amy
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Amy -
Thanks for this message. I love knowing that you still remember the books so fondly. And congratulations on your upcoming graduation!
As to wondering how to get your book published, the short answer is "Start sending it out and never give up." (Secret to my success? Bone-headed obstinance!)
The long answer is much too long for a venue like this, as entire books are written on the subject. From my point of view, the single best one-stop place to get this information is with the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (scbwi.org) Their initial packet is chock full of information.
Harold Underdown's book THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING CHILDREN'S BOOKS is also an extremely good resource for someone trying to learn the ropes.
Hope that helps!
All best,
BC
Thanks for this message. I love knowing that you still remember the books so fondly. And congratulations on your upcoming graduation!
As to wondering how to get your book published, the short answer is "Start sending it out and never give up." (Secret to my success? Bone-headed obstinance!)
The long answer is much too long for a venue like this, as entire books are written on the subject. From my point of view, the single best one-stop place to get this information is with the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (scbwi.org) Their initial packet is chock full of information.
Harold Underdown's book THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING CHILDREN'S BOOKS is also an extremely good resource for someone trying to learn the ropes.
Hope that helps!
All best,
BC
Im so exitcited that you are coming to my school soon!I love reading, I was in reading olympics. What's you favorite book that you made andd read? Thank You,
BL
BL
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, BL -
I'm looking forward to coming to your school. The answer to "what is my favorite book" is long and complicated, but I will try to answer it when I am at your school.
All best,
BC
I'm looking forward to coming to your school. The answer to "what is my favorite book" is long and complicated, but I will try to answer it when I am at your school.
All best,
BC
Bruce Coville I am so very excited for you to come to my school soon!!!!! and I have a few questions to ask you I really can not wait
DK
DK
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, DK -
I'm looking forward to the visit, too. I will be trying to leave a nice chunk of time for questions at the end of my presentation. I hope that I can answer your questions then.
BC
I'm looking forward to the visit, too. I will be trying to leave a nice chunk of time for questions at the end of my presentation. I hope that I can answer your questions then.
BC
mY TEACHER IS READ MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN AND RELLY LIKE IT SO MUCH
Reply by Bruce Coville
Glad you liked it! The publisher is going to release a new edition this year with a brand new cover to celebrate the book's 25th anniversary!
BC
BC
Hi Bruce im really excited that you are going to visit my school soon! I have a question for you. What new books are you planning to write in the future? Thank You, TW
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, TW -
I'm excited, too. I love doing school visits. I just finished work on two books. The first is a sequel to Goblins in the Castle. Unfortunately, I don't have a title for it yet. Still working on that! The second is called The Diary of a Mad Brownie and I think it is very funny. I hope readers will agree!
BC
I'm excited, too. I love doing school visits. I just finished work on two books. The first is a sequel to Goblins in the Castle. Unfortunately, I don't have a title for it yet. Still working on that! The second is called The Diary of a Mad Brownie and I think it is very funny. I hope readers will agree!
BC
I follow you on Facebook so I know that you have finished both the Goblins sequel and Diary of a Mad Brownie. Congratulations! I can't wait to read them!
I saw from one of the other Guestbook posts that Brownie seems to be based on your short story Clean as a Whistle. I enjoyed your last book based on one of your stories Always October.
I saw from one of the other Guestbook posts that Brownie seems to be based on your short story Clean as a Whistle. I enjoyed your last book based on one of your stories Always October.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Chrissy -
Well, I still have editing work to do on both books, but, yep, I've finished them, and it feels good!
You've got the source for MAD BROWNIE right. Thing was, "Clean As a Whistle" was pretty much a relationship story, with the brownie and Jamie working out how to live together. To make it book length I had to come up with a real plot.
Bruce
Well, I still have editing work to do on both books, but, yep, I've finished them, and it feels good!
You've got the source for MAD BROWNIE right. Thing was, "Clean As a Whistle" was pretty much a relationship story, with the brownie and Jamie working out how to live together. To make it book length I had to come up with a real plot.
Bruce
Gabbie, please stop texting Bruce Coville stuff like i started to write a book this is the title i was thinking about: TRATION NO WAY
Reply by Bruce Coville
I take it you and Gabbie know each other.