Your Questions Answered

Why a month early?

Question:

Hi P.N., I want to start off by saying that your Alice series is fantastic. I’ve been reading the books since third grade. I feel like I can connect to Alice as if she were a real person, which is really great since most of the other books I read I feel like I cannot relate to the characters in any way. Thank you SO much for creating the Alice series!!!! Also, I have a question for you. I know that a new Alice book comes out each June. I recently went on Barnes and Noble’s website to see when Incredibly Alice would be available, and the date they had was May 10. I guess I’m asking why Incredibly Alice is coming out a month earlier? I’m just a little confused.

Phyllis replied:

I don’t know why it’s a month early. So much depends on when the copy-editor finishes her job, when it’s sent to the printer, how many books are in line before it, etc. etc. If it comes out on May 10, hooray! We’ll all have our copies early.

Posted on: March 10, 2011

Worshipped Your Books since 4th grade

Question:

Thank you so much for sending me the Alice poster. I’ve worshiped your books since 4th grade. At my library, if you read a book in the summer and did a book report on it, you would receive a free book. I remember doing this the summer before 4th grade. I sat at the shelf looking for a book to bring home. Every book I looked at seem too “baby” or “grown up” for a 4th grader. I skimmed through each book when I came across a book with a blue cover. Blue being my favorite color at the time, I slid the book out to see it. The book was Alice in Blunderland. I chose the book and went home and read it in one sitting. Ever since that summer, I’ve checked out each Alice book and read it. Each summer I look forward to going to the library and checking out each Alice book. I’m pretty sure I’ve read each book in the series at least 10 times! I’ve raved about the books to each of my friends and my family knows in the summer, the book(s) that will appear most often in my hands are an Alice book. I am an avid reader, and if I liked reading then, I adore it now!

I look up to her character and I do admit, I’ve attempted to model my life after hers (that didn’t work out too well). I discovered that she was her own person, and that’s what I needed to be when I wasn’t the most “popular” or well-liked in school. She has made a difference in my life, and I hope in many other girls’ life as well. Thank you so much for writing such a beautiful series.

Phyllis replied:

I’m so happy that the Alice books have meant a lot to you. Alice in Blunderland was a good book to start with. It sounds as though you’ve grown up along with Alice, and are almost through her high school years. Happy reading!

Posted on: March 10, 2011

Offense doesn’t have levels to it

Question:

Why does Amy’s confession of her encounter with Mr. Granger make Alice think that it sounds like less of an offense? How can ANYTHING about that be “less”? It bothers me that people think that that type of offense has any ‘levels’ to it. If someone crosses the line, that’s that.

I say this because a boy with down syndrome once hurt me. But by the time I understood that I needed to tell someone, it had long passed. Then people told me that there wasn’t anything I could do anyways, because the boy was mentally disabled. But that doesn’t mean he hurt me any ‘less’.

Phyllis replied:

You are quite right that just because Amy wasn’t as emotional when she reported what Mr. Granger had done to her, it was less of an offense. But I think it’s natural that Alice, wanting so much to see him brought to justice, would worry that Amy’s admission that she had kissed her teacher might make the principal take it less seriously. Fortunately, he did not.

Posted on: March 10, 2011

Didn’t Realize it was an Entire Series!

Question:

I just wanted to tell you that the Alice series is so wonderful! I was given my first Alice book, The Agony of Alice, as a gift when I was in 4th grade. As a very skinny and awkward tomboy, I found much comfort in The Agony of Alice because she was such a relatable character. I read it over and over again. It was my absolute favorite childhood book.
What I didn’t realize was that it was an entire series! About a year ago ( I am 31 now) I was at the library with my 3 sons and saw the rack of Alice books. My heart skipped a beat! I began to read the entire series. As an adult, I now look at Alice as the daughter that I will never have. While I read, I imagine Alice being my little girl, growing up and dealing with all the things that girls have to face. Since I will never experience these things with my own daughter, I experience them through Alice. In her own way, she fills the small void that I have in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I love my sons more than anything and I am sure they will have their own coming of age things for me to deal with, but it is different than a daughter.
Thank you for being there for me as a child and now as an adult as well.
I hope you never stop writing because there are many of us, girls and women, who will never stop reading about Alice!

Phyllis replied:

It’s so wonderful to hear from adults who still love the Alice books. I have two sons whom I love dearly too, but no daughters, so writing the Alice books was sort of like raising my own daughter. It’s a whole lot easier to raise a daughter on paper than it is in real life–sons too. But I’ve very much enjoyed my time as her parent. Thank you for writing to me.

Posted on: March 10, 2011

Question:

Hi:) I’m not sure if this is okay- writing to you more than once. Considering there are others who may have not already written to you. I just wanted to say thanks for writing back the first time. I got SO excited and my teachers were proud of me. Well, one thing i forgot to mention was how awesome your books are. They prepare me for what’s coming- broken hearts, different classes, boys and their expectations- and i find myself racing through them. I love they way it relates perfectly to what’s really happening. So about a year ago, me and my family moved due to neighbor issues and what not. It was the perfect house. I imagined myself going back and visiting my parents with my kids as years passed. When we moved, my heart was broken and i cried myself to sleep. My world was somehow rearranged. But i realized I’ve matured over the year. My personality, i’m working towards becoming a disciple, and everyone thinks that I’m older then i am (truth is i wish i was) is an example. I also think it was meant to be. We are close to the neighbors now- they’re as social as us and we hang out with them often. Well, i have a guy friend that’s older than me and we text often. He’s the middle child of one of the neighbors. We used to text almost every minute of the day but it has slowed down a little. I’m pretty sure it’s because we’ve ran out of things to talk about. When we do text, I feel like I don’t know how to respond to things that make me sound mature but fun. Even though he’s older, he’s respectful, family oriented, appropriate, and he even babysits. So don’t think it’s what he texts that is hard to respond to. It’s mostly our age difference. He’s four years older. I’ve found myself dreaming about him and my friends say he might like me. Most boys older wouldn’t bother to want to know someone younger- most of the time. Since we’re both teenagers I feel like it should be easy but… I don’t know. If you have advice, that would be great. Not necessarily things to respond but how.

Phyllis replied:

Why not just enjoy his friendship for now and not worry so much about age difference, since you’re not in a romantic situation or feel that you are being asked to do things you aren’t ready for. What I would suggest is that you save your text messages until you really have something to say. Long strings of bland ramblings can get boring pretty quick. You want him to perk up when he sees he has a message from you, not slip his cell phone back in his pocket and think, Whatever.

Posted on: February 26, 2011

Got Lost in your Books

Question:

I don’t know if you will even get this email but i just wanted to try. I would really like to know when your next alice book is coming out. I have been searching the web but i couldn’t find anything. Maybe I was looking in the wrong places. I am a huge fan and you probaly get these kind of emails all the time but i just really wanted you to know that alice has helped me so much over these few years. These past few years have been really hard on me (My family moved to Israel) and whenever i was feeling depressed i just picked up one of your books and i just got lost in the book. The books are such a great source of comfort and i really, really love them.

Phyllis replied:

I’m just so happy to know that the Alice books are a comfort to you. Sometimes books are like that–they can fill in the empty spaces. Thanks for writing to me.

Posted on: February 25, 2011

The Loss of a Mother

Phyllis,

I’d like to thank you for your wonderful series. I started reading them as an awkward 10-year-old, and now I’m a slightly less awkward 22-year-old patiently awaiting the next installment. Mostly, I’d like to thank you for your books portrayl of the loss of a mother and its effect on a young girl. My 13-year-old sister and I just lost our mom, and I gave her my Alice books to read as a type of solace of shared experience.

Thanks for writing, I can’t wait to continue reading!

Phyllis replied:

I feel very honored that you passed your books along to your sister. I’m so terribly sorry about your mom. That must be one of the most difficult things to go through. I’m glad you two girls have each other.

Posted on: February 25, 2011

High school boys

Question:

So, I have some questions, and I need some advice. First off questions. I haven’t been able to catch up on Alice for a while. I think you have to newer books out? Alice in Charge, and Incredibly Alice? Is Incredibly Alice your last Alice book? I tried going through earlier posts, trying to see if any other readers asked you so I wouldn’t have to bother you, but I couldn’t find any. And I also have some advice questions, so I thought, I’ll just do two in one. And if that isn’t your last Alice book, what is the title of it? And also, do you know approximately how many words are in your Alice books? Weird question I know, but I’ve been writing for a while, and I have 30,710 words so far, and I doubt I’m even half away. Haha. So if you know, that’d be great. And now, advice questions. Last weekend I went to Tahoe with my friend, and she goes with her family friends. Two brothers that are in High Scholl, both 14 (stepbrothers, not twins) and she’s liked one of them for I don’t know…forever? Anyways, we are only in seventh grade, but were 13 only a year younger, and she’s always said age is just a number, but last year when we were 12 and they were 13 the boys didn’t see it that way. And I understand, that would be like me liking a 5th grader. Eww. But we went this year again, and one of them was hitting on me the whole time. I”m cute sure, I’ve heard that before, but it was strange. My friend kept saying, “he likes you, he likes you” and I denied it. But then she was in the shower, and I was in our room (us girls and the boys shared a room) and the one who didn’t like me came in and said, “do you like my brother? Cause likes you.” And I just didn’t know what to say. I look kind of old for my age, but so do tons of other girls. Is it weird? A highschool boy interested in me? And he isn’t ugly either, it’s not like he can’t score girls his own age. I just don’t know how I feel about it. My friend wants me to go camping with them, they both want me to come. But I don’t know. Maybe my mind is just making high school boys sound so incredible when maybe they aren’t. UGHH.

Phyllis replied:

Whoa. Slow down a little. Somebody simply said he likes you, he didn’t ask you to marry him. If I were you, I’d concentrate more on having fun with guy friends and not trying to figure out the mathematics of it all.

Posted on: February 25, 2011

Trashy or not?

Question:

Dear Phyllis,
I want to ask your opinion on something. I'm almost 19 and I'm dating a guy who 
lives and attends college in another state. My spring break is coming up and I'd 
love to fly there to visit him. I'd stay with a girl friend there and pay for my 
own ticket. However, my parents have forbid me from going to see him at college. 
They think it's trashy for me to go visit him and that it would create a 
reputation. They only approve of him visiting me. Their views seem old fashioned 
to me but I'm not sure how to change their minds. Any input would be greatly 
appreciated!!

Phyllis replied:

I doubt that I will change your parents’ minds, but I don’t think it’s trashy at all. You’ve been dating this guy, you obviously like him and your parents do too or they wouldn’t object to his visiting you. Has he invited you or agreed with your going there? In this modern world we base things not on male/female so much, but who can best afford it? Who has the best schedule to work it in? Whose turn is it? Frankly, I can think of a number of things you could do if he visited you that might ruin your reputation, but your simply going there and staying with a girlfriend is not one of them.

Posted on: February 25, 2011

TV show?

Question:

Have you ever thought of making Alice* into a TV show? That would be SO cool!! I would watch it every day!!

Phyllis replied:

Readers have suggested it, but somebody else would have to do it, not me. It’s all I can do to keep up with writing books and reading what you guys have to say. There used to be a TV show called “Blossom,” I believe, that some people thought was very much like the Alice books, but I never watched it so I don’t know. In any case, I’m happy to know you like the books so much.

Posted on: February 25, 2011