Your Questions Answered

Question: I love your series about the Hattfords and Maloys. What is the series actually called?

Question:
Dear Phyllis, I love your series about the Hattfords and Maloys. What is the series actually called? Have you ever thought about turning the books into movies? I would love to watch movies based on the series. Let me know if they do get turned into movies, okay?

PHYLLIS Replied:
It’s strange, because we’ve never formally named those twelve books. The editor and I call them the “boys/verus/girls” books, or “boys against girls” series, or “boy/girl” books. The first two books are titled, “The Boys Start the War,” and “The Girls Get Even.” The very last book is called, “Who Won the War?” I too think they would make a fun series for TV, but so far we haven’t had any offers.

Question: when I’m ready to tell him i like him how should i tell him?

Question:
wow your website has changed alot. I have a guy friend I’m sarting to kind of like and when I’m ready to tell him i like him how should i tell him? thanks for making such grate books

PHYLLIS Replied:
Please don’t “tell” him, “show” him. Just by being attentive, warm, interested in what he has to say, finding excuses to sit near him, walk with him…. He’ll get the message.

Question: Hi, if this is the real phyllis….

Question:
Hi, if this is the real phyllis and not just some handy assistant impersonating. I do not have my poster yet. barrak obama(whoooooo!) is already president. and there are a few things in the movie and book i should point out. Patrick is a redhead not blond. Alice and pam were so not competing. Patricks underwear was red with white polka dots(or vice versa my memory in not that good).since when is mallory(or whatever her name is) asian she is a brunette and dates lester for a while. Lester is brunette too. That is just some critique (all writers need some). but besides that i love your books i am thirteen and have been reading them since 5th grade when i was asigned a boo report and found your book and just kept on reading the series. I think it was fate. i have read all 21 and is waiting for the 22nd in june. bye and again. I love your books

PHYLLIS Replied:
Yep, I’m the real Phyllis. My secretary has been gone for several weeks. If you do not get your poster in two more weeks, please request it again and be sure to give your complete name and address. As for the movie–yes, yes, yes–you are correct, but as I told my readers when I announced that the DVD, “Alice Upside Down,” was now available, the director and producers made many changes. I did not write the script or do the casting. I suggested that you approach the movie as something similar but not identical to “The Agony of Alice.” See them as two separate things, and enjoy the movie as it is.
Obviously,you know the Alice books well and I’m glad you enjoy them so much.

Question: I have to dress as the famous person that I am reading about. Any suggestions?

Question:
Hi! My name is Kayla. I am in 6th grade. For my Language Arts project, I had to pick a famous person to read about. I chose your book, ‘How I Came to be a Writer” because I am interested in writing. I really liked this book. Now that I read your book, it made me want to write even more. For my project, I have to dress as the famous person that I am reading about. Any suggestions? I know that your web sites have FAQ and I will use that information along with what I read in the book to complete my assignment. I am looking forward to reading some of your Alice books.

PHYLLIS Replied:
Well, I begin writing as soon as I get up in the morning, so I’m usually in my pajamas.

Question: can u plz tell me more about the next book coming out

Question:
I am a huge fan of you can u plz tell me more about the next book coming out I cant wait

PHYLLIS Replied:
All I can tell you is that it fits the title, Intensely Alice. It’s very intense, in more ways than one.

Question: In the last book I read Alice said the school was on “suicide alert” …

Question:
Mrs. Naylor I had a question about your books. In the last book I read Alice said the school was on “suicide alert” beacuse Denise stepped infront of a train. Could you PLEASE tell me what book that was in.

PHYLLIS Replied:
Alice in April

Question: Do you write other books like the Alice series?

Question:
I have read every Alice book. I have a couple of questions. (1) Do you write other books like the Alice series? I know you’ve written alot, but I’m looking for something like the Alice books. (2) I read on your website that you said that, after Alice reach’s 18, you’ll do one more book. Is that what u meant? (3) If you do “do” one more book after she reach’s 18, will she reach 60 in that same book? lol sorry for the complicated Q’s.

PHYLLIS Replied:
I write lots of other books besides the Alice series, but not exactly like Alice. The boys/versus/girls books (“The Boys Start the War,” “The Girls Get Even),” is a series for younger readers, and other books–“Cricket Man,” “Ice,” “Blizzard’s Wake,” “Jade Green,” “Sang Spell,” are for teens. You are correct in that, after I write the next three or four books–27–there will be one last book called “Always Alice,” in which she goes from 18 to age 60, each chapter jumping a few years and hitting a high point of her life.

Question: it’s really cool how u actually sound like the girl it’s so realistic

Question:
O cool lol hi! I don’t want 2 sound like a obsessive weird fan but coming from a teens perspective…. But it’s really cool how u actually sound like the girl it’s so realistic. U like sound so much like the girl herself not another person writing about Alice. And lol i really am thankful 4 ur books! About personal things i learned a lot of things that i would be 2 embarrassed 2 go ask my mom about. I sometimes wish there was a Patrick at my school….lol but after this book i started 2 be attracted 2 red head’s or guys name Patrick lol!

PHYLLIS Replied:
I’m so glad you feel this way about the Alice books, and am glad that they answer a lot of questions for you.

Question: I’m 21 and I just had a friend who lost her virginity in December…

Question:
I remember you telling me that the next Alice book after Almost Alice would be Alice Undecided… but now according to Amazon it is Intensely Alice. I’m intense as well so that title is cool with me… but is Alice Undecided moved for later or has the title been scrapped altogether?

Also, I’m 21 and I just had a friend who lost her virginity in December. Besides a Mormon friend I have who won’t have sex until marriage, I have no other friends who are still virgins! I hate all the cliche bullshit like “it’s a good thing you’re still a virgin.” And I know I won’t lose it this year… I just hate it. I’m so passionate you know, I just wish I had someone. I get really lonely here in my apartment. :-/ I have cats, but you know what that means … cat lady!

PHYLLIS Replied:
The editorial staff didn’t like the title “Alice Undecided,” and a member of my critique group, after hearing the manuscript read aloud, suggested “Intensely Alice.” Laura Melmed is one sharp cookie!

So often we get caught up in The Big Divide, as I call it. Virgins or not. Married or not. Pretty or not. Professionals or not. New Yorkers or not. The way I see it, it’s simply not that important, one way or the other. The Big Question is who are the friends in your life? What do you do in your spare time? What projects interest you? What activities excite or inspire you? Where do you go to meet people who share your beliefs and values? As you know, cats are nice, but still…. Put your energies into going places and doing things where the goal is to complete a project, or volunteer your help. You want to find supportive friends who would like to know you better. Whom you can bring back to that apartment to meet your cats and have a book discussion or a wine tasting or to watch a good movie with popcorn and pizza. Making yourself and your apartment! a warm and welcoming place for friends of both sexes will eventually solve the virginity problem.

Question: So my friends boyfriend is acting rather friendly toward me…

Question:
First i want to say that i feel very out of the loop. When did you change your web page? wow. I need to start visiting it more i like reading the letters and you answers.

I have a question, which is the main reason why i visited again. So my friends boyfriend is acting rather friendly toward me. Everything that he does to his girlfriend (i.e. tickling her in the hall and acting really flirty) he does with me. I kind of flirt back but that’s just my personality i don’t do it on purpose (my parents call me the flirt of the house). I want to tell my friend what is going on because i feel kind of guilty. i want to know if i should tell her or to just continue with how things are. Also does that mean i’m a slut? help please?

PHYLLIS Replied:
Good grief. A bit of flirting does not make one a slut. If this goes on in front of your girlfriend, OK. If he only does this when her back is turned, and you only respond when she’s not looking, then you’re both hiding something, and you’d better stop. Unless you want it to happen to you some day. At this point I wouldn’t tell her, she’s bound to find out on her own the way he behaves with other girls. Just don’t let the other girl be you.

And yes, the website has a whole new look and there are lots of new things to explore. Soon I’ll be able to answer your posts myself, as soon as I read them, instead of sending them first to the website and waiting until they have a chance to post them.