Your Questions Answered

SPOILER ALERT, IF YOU HAVEN’T READ INTENSELY ALICE!

Question:

Wow, is my only word at this moment. I am literally writing this with 5 minutes of just reading the section in Intensely Alice where Mark dies. I think I may have cried more than any of the gang. I have only read Dangerously Alice and Intensely Alice, but I’m attached. Mark seemed like such an awesome guy (I loved the Naked Carpenters)! I really can’t believe he’s gone…So I want to ask you, Mrs. Naylor, why did you kill him off? What were your intentions to say from this incident? After crying all my tears I have to cry into my mothers shoulder, (dumb, I know over a book character!), I have decided to look at the educational side of this and I want to know what the moral of this was?

With love from Mark’s never to-be girlfriend,

Mrs. Mark B. Stedmiester

Phyllis replied:

I’ll bet I cried more than you did when I wrote it. I had no moral in mind, simply a slice of life. At some point, we are all faced with the loss of someone close to us, someone whose death we didn’t expect. And sometimes the death is so utterly senseless, in that the person who paid with his life was not the one at fault. That made it even worse. I knew for a long time which of Alice’s friends would die, and chose Mark because I wanted to include the grief of his parents. I especially wanted to use the scene..and I’m crying now, I realize–where Alice’s friends form a circle around the Stedmeister’s house, each one holding a candle….the house where they had gathered for so many summers to swim and hang out. I’ve never been able to read that passage in public, even to my critique group when I was writing the book, and cried all the way through it. Life is like that sometimes.

Posted on: December 1, 2011

Thank you

Question:

As I type this letter to you, it brings up so many feelings from when I was on the brink of my teens years. I was about twelve when I first read The Agony of Alice and so many things similar to what Alice had been through has happened to me, so I found comfort in your books as I went on through life. I remember sending you an email, so long ago when I was about thirteen when I had realized that that I wanted to write novels and wanted some advice and I remember being so happy when you emailed me back.

Now I’m 20 years old, and almost finished writing my first novel. I haven’t picked up an Alice book in about three years, as college and life have gotten in the way, but I can’t wait to get back on it. I can’t believe there are only three or so books left for me to read. It makes me so sad, and I can’t help but shed a tear because for me, the series is almost over, and so is Alice’s patience, comfort, and advice. I kind of feel like I’m about to part with a dear friend.

But I can’t help but be excited for myself as well because if it wasn’t for Alice and you, I wouldn’t be writing my first novel. What keeps me going as I go on this weird, exciting, stressful, and sometimes slow and painful (but overall rewarding) journey of writing is that maybe, just maybe I will be able to help just one girl, if just one girl reads my book and is able to connect with it, then I will be happy. You have helped thousands and I can’t even imagine being as wonderful as you. But we will see. I’m just happy that I’m writing and doing what I love to do for now.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for creating Alice. Thank you for you email, I don’t think you know how much of an impact it had on me.

I know this email probably doesn’t convey all that I wanted to say but as I was in the midst of writer’s block and giving up, I decided to take a break and remember why I was writing, I thought of you and had to send you an email!

Now I feel better and I think I can get back to it!

Phyllis replied:

The most important thing in your email is your comment that you are happy you are doing what you love to do. Writers write because they almost HAVE to. It’s a driving force, published or not. It always helps morale, of course, to see your stories or books in print and to know that you are sharing them with a reader. Don’t even try to write like someone else. What readers want from you is “the story that only you can write.” That spark, that energy, that makes your book or story “sing.” My very best wishes to you, that you go on loving it as much as you do now. Thanks so much for writing to me.

Posted on: November 17, 2011

Alice movie

Question:

Oh my gosh ! I like really LOVE your Alice books! I practically grew up reading them, and I’m 15 now. Soo I lovee reading them it’s always something new. My favorite character is Pamela. She’s always ready to spice things up, kinda like me. Although im pretty sure you already know this, but you have been blessed with such GREAT talent and I’m glad you decided to share it. (: I just have one question why are there no movies ?!

Phyllis replied:

There is an Alice movie. It’s based very loosely on “The Agony of Alice,” and it’s out on DVD. The producers named it “Alice Upside Down.”

Posted on: November 17, 2011

How can I persuade her?

Question:

I am a huge fan of the Alice series. I got into them when I was in 5th grade(now I am in 6th grade). I found Reluctantly Alice on the book shelf at my school library when I was in 5th grade. I read it, and I practically loved that book like a child. I took it with me where ever I went and I read is about 4 times in the 1 week I had it taken out. Then, one day I went to my public library and found out there was a whole series. Once I started 6th grade I found out that my middle school had all the Alice books. Right now, I’m up to Achingly Alice. I got my friend into the series and she is starting to read them. I promised her I would stop reading until she caught up, so we could discuss them together. But my friend thinks that the Alice books are kind of, well, awkward. I truly think that Alice books really bring out the fun of being a girl. Do you have any advice I could tell my friend?

I wanted to ask you one thing, also: Okay, so there is this guy at school that I really like. I am only in one of his classes, but I still see him a lot at lunch. I really want to talk to him,but it seems weird because I don’t know him that well. A few weeks ago, during recess he came over to me when I was just sitting by myself. It was nice that he came over to me, but then his friends came by too. I wasn’t able to talk to him. After that, a friend came over to me and said that he liked me. I wasn’t sure that he does because no guy has ever liked me. I need some way to be able to talk to him, or a way I can know if he likes me. I’ve been trying to get his phone number for a while, just so I can get to know him better. I need some advice on:How I can talk to him, without it seeming weird?
How to tell if he likes me or not?

Phyllis replied:

Has your first friend actually read any of the Alice books? It’s OK if she doesn’t like them or doesn’t want to read them. Not everyone likes the same thing. Some girls just don’t feel ready yet for some of the situations Alice finds herself in, or might be embarrassed to read about some of the things Alice and her friends discuss. As for the boy who may or may not like you, the fact that he came over to you certainly seems to me that he finds you interesting or attractive or both. Make it easy for him. The next time you meet casually or pass in the hall or find yourselves sitting near each other in class, SMILE. Guys like a girl who smiles because it means she’s approachable, that she probably won’t say something mean or embarrassing. Ask a question. Pay him a compliment about something. Wouldn’t you like it if a guy showed an interest in you? I had to smile when you wrote that no guy ever liked you before. How do you know? And even if it’s true, there’s a first time for everyone.

Posted on: November 17, 2011

Question:

Question:

I’m only a sophomore, and I feel like dropping out
already. I can’t see what any of the stuff we do has to do with my
ultimate goal in life, which is to write, like you. Did you learn
anything in school that helped you with your writing?

Phyllis replied:

It’s easy to feel that way sometimes, especially with subjects that have little interest for you. I probably learned more on my own, but various classes introduced me to things that opened the world for me. I especially found sociology and psychology useful, and read a great number of books on my own that weren’t assigned. Literature courses introduced me to different styles of writing, and again, prompted me to read more by various authors. School also helps by forcing you to meet deadlines, to rewrite and correct your own copy, to be reliable and do even unpleasant assignments, because there are many things involved in publishing a book that are tedious.

Posted on: November 17, 2011

Newest book

Question:

I adore your Alice books so much! What is the newest Alice book you’ve written so far?

Phyllis replied:

The most recent Alice book now published is “Incredibly Alice.”

Posted on: November 17, 2011

Writing a Book

Question:

I’ve been writing a book and my friends said that they like my story. But I don’t get enough time to finish because of school. Plus my parents don’t think I could do it. And that makes me feel unsuitable to become a young writer. I need some advice.

Phyllis replied:

And you’d let any of that stop you? We all have 24 hours in the day, and if we really want to do something, we don’t just find time for it, we make time. Why do your parents think you can’t write a book? Why do you listen to them? If this is something that gives you pleasure, just do it, and keep it to yourself. In my career as a writer, I’ve received over 10,000 rejection slips–not all at once, of course, with acceptance slips in between, but I could have given up long ago. Do what you love.

Posted on: November 11, 2011

NOTE FROM PHYLLIS

Readers: Please note that my email address has changed. If you want to write to me,

send it to friendsofalice@mail.com.

Posted on: November 11, 2011

Is it Too Late?

Question:

love your books, and I’ve written to you before about that, but now I have a question.

I am in the eighth grade, and a bunch of girls have gone out with guys, but I haven’t. I

don’t know of a guy that’s ever liked me. I’m not very popular or unpopular, just in the middle.

There is a new guy who I really, really like, but I’ve never talked to him. I feel like now it’s too late in

the year to introduce myself. I’m always around him, and I see him in the halls, but I can’t just start

talking to him! I feel like I like him way too much, considering I barely know him! Also we don’t seem to

have very much in common. I think his family has very different political views from my family, and we

don’t really have the same interests. I have always liked guys who I new I would never date, because they

were way more popular than me. But this guy is not very popular either, and I think thats partly why I like him.

But yeah, I just feel like I like him a lot, and I wish I could make something happen. You always give great advice on

your website, so maybe you will respond to this! Thanks for reading this and I look forward to reading Alice on Board!

Phyllis replied:

Too late in the year? The school year is only two months old!!!!! Find any excuse at all. Bump into him and apologize, if you have to, just to use it as an excuse to say something. What about, “Hey! Nice jacket!” or “Did you understand that last assignment?” or “Going to game Friday?” As far as political or social differences go, you’re not marrying him, you just want to get to know him better to see if there’s a spark, right? Look at it this way: if you were new in a school and a guy who had never talked to you before began smiling at you, or finding excuses to talk to you, would you be offended? Of course not. Even if he wasn’t your type, I think you’d be flattered. Give it a try.

Posted on: November 11, 2011

Email from New Zealand

Question:

Hi, I remember the first time that I read an Alice book – it was Alice Alone and I remember how I just fell in love with the series and I would go to the library and get out about 4 or 5 at once because I would just read them in one sitting! I really, really, really love them and I’m 16 now (around 13 when I found them) and I’m so excited for the next two books to see what happens!

Thank you so much for creating such an amazing series, I feel like every book shows an issue or Alice and her friends go through something that me and my friends or other teenagers go through and it’s so great to have a book series that we can relate to that’s actually so well written and generally great!

thank you thank you thank you

Phyllis replied:

It’s truly wonderful to know that the Alice books are read around the world. My editor will enjoy your email also.

Posted on: November 11, 2011