Your Questions Answered

Do You Choose the Covers of Your Books?

It Hurts Really Bad

Phyllis replied:

Oh, I know it hurts.  It does sound like the mom may be feeding him lines, and I think that your dad is correct–your guy is probably feeling pretty blue too, especially if those were more his mom’s feelings than his own. But parents do worry when they think their teenagers, even mature teenagers, are getting “too serious” with each other.  And they have a lot of right reasons, though they may have not-so-right ones also.  Mothers of boys worry about the possibility of pregnancy, and that their son might feel morally obligated to marry a girl because she’s carrying his child, when she either might not be the right one for him or that this is just not the right time in his life to be a father.  And even if you’ve given no suggestion that you’re about to be intimate, we all know how urgent passion can be.  Your plan to just let a month or so go by and then send a friendly email sounds good to me.  He may be worrying about how you’re taking this.  And I think it’s perfectly all right to tell him, at some point, that it’s hard to have someone in your life for 6 months and then face the possibility of never seeing him again.  I think that might be reassuring to him also, that you cared that much.

Absolute Pleasure to Read Your Books!

I Miss Her So Much!

Question:

so i have this huge problem. my best friend of nine years was really really mean to me, and so we stopped being friends. we don’t even go to the same school anymore, and i guess i should be glad that we’re not friends anymore. the problem is that i always find myself missing her a lot. even though she was really mean to me, we had so much fun sometimes. i totally miss going to her house and her nice family and everything. she probably misses me too, but it’s her that should say sorry, and i know she won’t. but i miss her sooooo much. what should i do?

Phyllis replied:

I think you need to ask yourself a few questions:  Was this “meanness” a one-time thing, or did she have a habit of using you as a door mat?   If it was getting to be a habit, do  you really want to subject yourself to that all over again?  If her treatment of you was mostly a one-time thing over a specific incident, is it possible there’s more than one interpretation of what happened?  Is it at all possible that she thinks YOU are the one who should apologize first?  If this is the case, and you really miss her, do you miss her enough to humble yourself and call or email her, even if it was her fault?  You are the only one who can decide whether her friendship is worth taking the risk, or whether you should use your time making new friends.

Which Character I’d Like to Play

Question:

I’m an only child, a Catholic Christian, and I’m home-schooled.  I’ve been taking piano for a year and have already written three songs.  I love singing, but one of my absolute favorite things to do is to act.  I’ve been in a few plays already – I even played Maid Marian in Robin Hood.  Sometimes, more than acting, I enjoy writing.  I’ve completed a rough draft of a book and I’m working on the second book in the series.  In addition, I’m writing a screen play for a sequel to a movie I really liked – I just wanted it to continue, so I wrote it myself.  (It’s not an official sequel to the movie – at least not yet.)  I enjoy doing Irish Step and I have no experience playing baseball.  So, I guess since my real life is most like Caroline’s I suppose I’d want a challenge, perhaps I’d stick my nose in a book and be Beth (the Weirdo), or maybe I’d enjoy being a schemer like Edith Ann.  My mom say’s based on my closet and love of cookies – I’m actually most like Peter!  But what dost thou think?

Phyllis replied:

My guess is that you could play whomever you chose, though you’d have to learn baseball to play Eddie.  It’s wonderful to have so many hobbies and talents, and only time will tell what you eventually choose for a career.  I was at a dinner party once with five other couples, and we began talking about what career we’d prepared for in college.  And though some of us had actually gone into their chosen fields to start, every person there was now doing something entirely different.  Life has a way of surprising us.

I Would Love to See Them On Screen!

Question:

I found this email address when looking for a way to contact you regarding the Boys vs. Girls Series.  Please know that I LOVE these books, (the one’s I’ve read anyway), and I would LOVE to see them on screen.  Can you tell me whether anyone is planning to make a movie out of the book series?  I think it would be a movie all the kids my age (12) would love to see.  I’m also going to email many productions companies and suggest they make a movie out of your series – and, if it’s okay with you – I won’t stop there! If necessary, I’ll get a petition started and distribute it to all of your fans, begging for the making of this movie.  Can you tell I really want to see this on screen?   My mother suggested a summer book club centered around your books – but I can’t wait that long to read them all!  Please let me know if it’s okay to continue with my plan to contact the studios and send around a petition.  Thank you for writing back to me. 

Phyllis replied:

Wow!  You seem to enjoy those books as much as I enjoyed writing them!  Of course it is all right for you to suggest to production companies that they make a movie from these books.  As far as I know, no company has contacted my agent about them.  They would probably make a fun series, and the actors and actresses would have a good time too.  Who would YOU be in the series?  The overly-dramatic Caroline would be my favorite. 

Note From Phyllis

Hello, readers:

I’m experimenting with the new layout for my blog, and will try to insert a photo showing you where I write my Alice books.  A photographer had come to take some pictures for a magazine, but I didn’t know what angle he was going to use.  As you can see, I tried to hide an overflowing magazine rack behind my chair, but the photographer moved over to one side and shot the picture.  I didn’t even try to disguise the messy stack of papers beside my chair.  I write the first draft of a chapter out in longhand on a clipboard.  Then I immediately rewrite it, a little neater so I can still read it later.  After the whole manuscript has been written twice in cursive, I type it up on the computer, then print it out and edit–type it up again, print it out and edit–perhaps three or four more times, until I feel it’s the best I can do.  Then I send it to my publisher.  The painting on the wall above the buffet is by the artist Marcy Ramsey, who does wonderful oil paintings, and has also illustrated many books, including my “Simply Sarah” series for younger children.

It Seems Like She’s Ready to Fight

Question:

I have a problem with my bestfriend lately I have been tired of her! It’s like we fight way more now days. And it seems like shes ready to fight! But I don’t want to loose her as a bestfriend! It’s so confusing! We have been Bfs since kindergarten and no one has come between us I mean I ahve other friends to but not like her! Oh yeah I love your books! But anyway and I hate when we get seperated like in to different groups or when one of us is on Vacation people say pretend her name is —–aww —–‘s gone and feel bad for me! Even when they are joking I hate it! Please help me

Phyllis replied:

I’m just making a guess here, but perhaps this is what’s happening:  sometimes, when people realize it’s time to move on–like a person going away to college, who both wants to go and hates leaving his family, both at the same time–he sort of wants something to give him a little push–a little quarrel, perhaps, with his parents to help convince him that he’ll be happier away from home than to stay.  Maybe you and your friend both sense that you’re growing in different directions, and that it’s time to add new friends to your list.  Just because you’ve been best friends since kindergarten doesn’t mean that you are going to be alike for the rest of your lives.  When you’re together, the two of you seem to pick fights; when you’re apart, you miss each other.  Sounds familiar.  It will be painful, but start taking short breaks from each other.  Force yourself to do something or go some place with other girls and encourage her to do the same.  If you can carry this off now, even though you might find you end up closer than you were before, it will help you navigate through other relationships in the future.

In Case We End Up Together?

Question:

I love your books. and i love your advice. A few weeks ago some kid in my grade had sexually harassed me. it was reported and took care of and everything but i might be going on a four day trip with the school and i am scared that he might also get accepted. I didn’t think about it until after i handed in my essay and everything. Is there any advise you can give me incase we end up going on the trip together? love your books. and i love your advice. A few weeks ago some kid in my grade had sexually harassed me. it was reported and took care of and everything but i might be going on a four day trip with the school and i am scared that he might also get accepted. I didn’t think about it until after i handed in my essay and everything. Is there any advise you can give me incase we end up going on the trip together?

Phyllis replied:

I don’t know the situation, but if the incident was reported and “taken care of,” I assume that this person was lectured? punished? etc. and is probably not going to repeat the offense?  If you have reason to believe he will attempt something else, you need to talk with your teachers about this.  But if, as I think you mean, it might simply be an uncomfortable situation–no real danger–I would assume a completely neutral attitude with this boy.  I would not pointedly ignore him so that it is obvious to everyone else, and either embarrasses or angers him, but I would give him very little attention and get into conversations with others when he is around.  And I would certainly stay with the group throughout the trip.

Notes from Phyllis

Hello, readers:

I’m trying to understand this new format for the Alice website, so hope this message gets to the right place.  I’m now able to post your emails to me almost as soon as you send them (providing I’m on the computer just then), so hopefully my answers will get posted on the fan mail page within a day or two.  I’m heading to New York tomorrow, but will be taking a draft of Alice in Charge along on the train.  I seem to be able to work in a public place as long as no one interrupts me. 

My two granddaughters in Minneapolis are getting ready for graduation, one from high school, one from middle school;  Sophia is looking forward to college, Tressa is looking forward to high school.  In my New Jersey family, Garrett will entering first grade next year, Beckett will be having his third birthday.   So there will be a lot of changes in both families, and change is the one thing in life we can be sure of. 

I’d love to hear what YOU are looking forward to the most this summer!