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!
937 entries.
I have always loved goblins in the castle. I just recently found my copy from when i was a kid and i read it to my 6 year old son he loved it so much he always wanted one more chapter instead of going to bed. I also had a copy of into the land of unicorns i had completely forgotten about. My daughter and i read it and she fell in love with it. I only now as an adult realized its a series. Apparently its almost impossible to find the rest of the books i have a copy of book 2 saved in my cart well i desperately search for book 3 and 4 for her i cant believe how impossible they are to find! The few i have found are selling for 200 dollars! Now i wish i had realized there was more then one when i was younger. I hope to find and share the rest with her! Thank you for your cant put down books!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Angela -
First off, thanks for these wonderful words about my books. I love knowing that I am a "2 generation author"!
As regards the Unicorn Chronicles, I am very sorry about the situation. For reasons I have never understood, Scholastic never released a paperback edition of the final book. I'm still upset about that, and felt it was a great betrayal of my readers. As you have discovered, there is no easy way to get a copy of it now . . . though there is an audiobook version that you can get (I recorded it myself, with a full cast, and I think its pretty terrific, even if I do say so myself!)
On the good news side, I have regained the rights to the series and I am working on bringing the books back in print myself. The plan is to split up the third and fourth books (split book 3 in half, and book 4 into 3 parts) to make a seven part series that is more evenly divided. I just sent the first half of Book 3 to the designer and hope to have it available soon.
As is the case with most things, this is all taking longer than I anticipated, but I am trying to making them as good as possible.
All best wishes,
BC
First off, thanks for these wonderful words about my books. I love knowing that I am a "2 generation author"!
As regards the Unicorn Chronicles, I am very sorry about the situation. For reasons I have never understood, Scholastic never released a paperback edition of the final book. I'm still upset about that, and felt it was a great betrayal of my readers. As you have discovered, there is no easy way to get a copy of it now . . . though there is an audiobook version that you can get (I recorded it myself, with a full cast, and I think its pretty terrific, even if I do say so myself!)
On the good news side, I have regained the rights to the series and I am working on bringing the books back in print myself. The plan is to split up the third and fourth books (split book 3 in half, and book 4 into 3 parts) to make a seven part series that is more evenly divided. I just sent the first half of Book 3 to the designer and hope to have it available soon.
As is the case with most things, this is all taking longer than I anticipated, but I am trying to making them as good as possible.
All best wishes,
BC
I've written once before, several years ago, when The Last Hunt was first published. I write again to express my joy at finding the complete Unicorn Chronicles series on Audible... and with a full cast! I could not have been more excited and immediately bought all 4 books. I've been listening to Into the Land of Unicorns on my work commute and it is just an absolute joy to revisit the books that defined my childhood in such a unique way. I won't lie - I'm in my mid 30s now and while driving to work, I teared up when I heard "Luster bring me home." I just hope you know how powerfully impactful these books have been for me and many others. Lightfoot and Luster made me believe in magic, and I will always be grateful for that.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Christina -
First, my apologies for not having answered you more promptly. The system is supposed to notify me when a new message comes in to the guest book but sometimes . . . well, sometimes it just doesn't.
Secondly, I cannot tell you how thoroughly it delights me to know that you are enjoying the audiobook editions. They were a true labor of love, and it means a great deal to have them appreciated this way.
May you dream of unicorns!
BC
First, my apologies for not having answered you more promptly. The system is supposed to notify me when a new message comes in to the guest book but sometimes . . . well, sometimes it just doesn't.
Secondly, I cannot tell you how thoroughly it delights me to know that you are enjoying the audiobook editions. They were a true labor of love, and it means a great deal to have them appreciated this way.
May you dream of unicorns!
BC
Hi Bruce! I remember as a kid reading and loving Goblins in the Castle and now I'm reading it to my two boys (5,7). They immediately fell in love with Igor and his bear, last night we read where William scared Igor, and then got bopped. Their laughter is so contagious!!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Richard -
Ah, many thanks for this. I had so much fun writing that book! When I was a teacher I used to read an early version of it to my classes in October. On Halloween sometimes Igor himself would come by to do a "guest reading."
Anyway, the book is very close to my heart so it always delights me to know when someone is having fun sharing it with his kids.
Bruce
Ah, many thanks for this. I had so much fun writing that book! When I was a teacher I used to read an early version of it to my classes in October. On Halloween sometimes Igor himself would come by to do a "guest reading."
Anyway, the book is very close to my heart so it always delights me to know when someone is having fun sharing it with his kids.
Bruce
Hi Mr. Coville,
I read the My Teacher is an Alien series when I was in grade school as they were coming out. I remember devouring them then and have very fond memories of reading them nearly 30 years ago.
Now I have two small boys of my own, and I can’t wait to re-read them and some of your other works with my sons.
Thank you for sharing your imagination, your stories, and your talent with so many of us for so long.
Warmest wishes for you and your loved ones,
Mike
I read the My Teacher is an Alien series when I was in grade school as they were coming out. I remember devouring them then and have very fond memories of reading them nearly 30 years ago.
Now I have two small boys of my own, and I can’t wait to re-read them and some of your other works with my sons.
Thank you for sharing your imagination, your stories, and your talent with so many of us for so long.
Warmest wishes for you and your loved ones,
Mike
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Mike -
Thanks for this. One of the best things about having been at this as long as I have is discovering that I have become a "two generation" author. Reading to my kids was one of my greatest delights when I was a young father, and knowing now that other dads are sharing my books with their own kids just makes me extremely happy!
All good wishes to you and your family!
BC
Thanks for this. One of the best things about having been at this as long as I have is discovering that I have become a "two generation" author. Reading to my kids was one of my greatest delights when I was a young father, and knowing now that other dads are sharing my books with their own kids just makes me extremely happy!
All good wishes to you and your family!
BC
Into the Land of the Unicorns was one of my favorite books growing up. I lost my original copy to the postal system trying to lend it to a friend in Ireland, and I snagged a replacement from eBay a while back. I've been struggling with mental health for years now, and my love of reading has been one of the casualties. Recently I started re-reading childhood favorites in an effort to leverage nostalgia to rekindle it, and I just finished Into the Land of the Unicorns. It was a pleasant jaunt down memory lane. Thank you!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Sherwood -
Many thanks for this lovely and affirming message. It really delights me to know how important these books have been to you. Thanks for letting me know.
BC
Many thanks for this lovely and affirming message. It really delights me to know how important these books have been to you. Thanks for letting me know.
BC
I won Into the Land if the Unicorns from my school library when I was in grade school. I just found it done by Full Cast Audio. The series is still one I love to go back through and I am using the audiobook to introduce it to my children. My brother, who hated to read, was the one who introduced me to tour books with My Teacher is an Alien. Thank you for giving so many hours of reading (and now listening) enjoyment.
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Sara -
Many thanks for this message. Full Cast Audio was a project of my heart, and I especially enjoyed recording the unicorn books - which were also a project of my heart! So I truly delight in knowing that you are sharing the story with your daughter in the audio format.
Tell your brother I said thanks for turning you on to my books in the first place! ;>
BC
Many thanks for this message. Full Cast Audio was a project of my heart, and I especially enjoyed recording the unicorn books - which were also a project of my heart! So I truly delight in knowing that you are sharing the story with your daughter in the audio format.
Tell your brother I said thanks for turning you on to my books in the first place! ;>
BC
Hi! When Jeremy Thatcher: Dragon Hatcher was published, I was 9 years old. I read it and loved it! I kept my copy all these years! Now that my son is 9 years old, I gave my copy to him since he needed a fantasy novel to read for school. He started reading it last week and he loves it too! He can't wait for the local library to re-open (whenever that will be) so he can read your other books! He is especially looking forward to My Teacher is an Alien. Thank you for writing such amazing stories for kids!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Heidi - Many thanks for this lovely message. One of the great pleasures in having been around for as long as I have been is becoming a two-generation writer. I just love it so much when someone who read one of my books when he or she was a kid writes to tell me they are now sharing the story (or stories!) with their own child. It's pretty much the highest compliment a children's writer can get.
Bruce
PS: Please tell your son I said hello!
Bruce
PS: Please tell your son I said hello!
Hi! I've been a big fan of your books since I was a kid. I think Jennifer Murdley's Toad was the one that started it off, and it was downhill from there. I remember checking out your anthologies of scary stories from my school library frequently, and some of them still haunt me to this day! I just revisited The Unicorn Chronicles again, one of many times that I have done so over the years (my copy of Into the Land of the Unicorns, the only installment of the series I have on paperback, is starting to fall apart). I think I first read that one when I was eight, and you finished the series when I was about twenty three. I didn't feel very patient about it at the time, but it was well worth the wait, and I very much remember how excited I was when the third and fourth books finally came out! It remains one of my all-time favorite series.
I love escaping to Luster, and I think it shows me something new every time. Thank you so much for many wonderful hours spent, and many more to come!
I love escaping to Luster, and I think it shows me something new every time. Thank you so much for many wonderful hours spent, and many more to come!
Reply by Bruce Coville
Thanks for this lovely message! As someone who used to use books to escape into fantasy worlds myself, it delights me to know that you could escape into a world that I created. I really wanted to create something that kids could love the way I had loved the books of my own childhood and youth!
Thanks for forgiving me for the terrible delay it took me to finish the series. It turned out to be a much bigger story than I had imagined when I began!
BC
Thanks for forgiving me for the terrible delay it took me to finish the series. It turned out to be a much bigger story than I had imagined when I began!
BC
Dear Mr. Coville,
Thank you so much for the laughter and magic over the years! My especial favorites of your books have been your stories and compilations on unicorns. I would like to know, what has inspired you to write about unicorns in particular over the years?
So many young adult and adult fantasy/paranormal stories these days center around vampires, werewolves, zombies, and the like - dangerous creatures of the night that draw a stark contrast to the innocent and healing nature of the unicorn. I look back on my childhood fascination with unicorns and wonder: is there a place for unicorns in stories for adults today? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Always a fan,
Stella
Thank you so much for the laughter and magic over the years! My especial favorites of your books have been your stories and compilations on unicorns. I would like to know, what has inspired you to write about unicorns in particular over the years?
So many young adult and adult fantasy/paranormal stories these days center around vampires, werewolves, zombies, and the like - dangerous creatures of the night that draw a stark contrast to the innocent and healing nature of the unicorn. I look back on my childhood fascination with unicorns and wonder: is there a place for unicorns in stories for adults today? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Always a fan,
Stella
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Stella -
Many thanks for this lovely message. My apologies for not replying more quickly. It seems that the website doesn't always alert me to a new message, and I just found this one.
I loved your distinction between the dark mode of fantasy that is current in YA now and the lightness of unicorns and what I was trying to do with that series.
Though things move in and out of fashion, I think there will always be a place for unicorns. Sometimes they will be more popular, sometimes less. But the human heart will always need them!
All best,
BC
Many thanks for this lovely message. My apologies for not replying more quickly. It seems that the website doesn't always alert me to a new message, and I just found this one.
I loved your distinction between the dark mode of fantasy that is current in YA now and the lightness of unicorns and what I was trying to do with that series.
Though things move in and out of fashion, I think there will always be a place for unicorns. Sometimes they will be more popular, sometimes less. But the human heart will always need them!
All best,
BC
You've been my "literary rock" since 1993. I love your books! It really has been a pleasure as an adult to re-read my collection after having it packed away for the last 19 years. Thank you for the fantastic adventures and imaginative, yet relatable characters.
P.S. Goblins on the Prowl was worth the wait!
P.S. Goblins on the Prowl was worth the wait!
Reply by Bruce Coville
What a lovely message. Since I totally love "The Rock" being someone's "Literary Rock" feels like a great compliment.
Even more of a compliment is that you love the books on re-reading. I have always tried to write in a way that would delight my kid audience yet at the same time be something my adult readers (generally parents and teachers) could enjoy. The fact that you liked GOBLINS ON THE PROWL is the icing on the cake. Man, that book was hard to do. But I was really happy with it when I had finally finished, so your approval means a great deal to me!
All best,
BC
Even more of a compliment is that you love the books on re-reading. I have always tried to write in a way that would delight my kid audience yet at the same time be something my adult readers (generally parents and teachers) could enjoy. The fact that you liked GOBLINS ON THE PROWL is the icing on the cake. Man, that book was hard to do. But I was really happy with it when I had finally finished, so your approval means a great deal to me!
All best,
BC