Your Questions Answered

Reading Alice Since I Was in Fourth Grade

Question:

It’s definitely not an understatement when I say that I grew up together with Alice! I’m currently a senior in high school and I have been reading Alice since I was in 4th Grade, when my mom bought me Starting with Alice. I fell in love straightaway, and had to read all the books. And for the last few summers, it’s was typical for me to anticipate the release of each new book.

A couple of weeks ago I was going through a really rough time. It was a combination of stress, family issues and feeling lost, being a third culture kid who has moved all around the world. It would have been the first time I cried myself to sleep, but suddenly it struck me. I haven’t read Alice for a while, but I quickly got an Alice book, and miraculously I was comforted, I had felt better about myself. That was when I realized how much I needed Alice, and how lucky I was to have discovered this wonderful, sincere series. I’ve lived in 6 countries in 3 continents, but Alice somehow keeps me grounded and it’s like having a friend. She is admirable and mature (especially her attitude to Amy and how she is such a genuine friend to everyone!), sometimes she is childish and makes mistakes, but that’s what life about!

Thank you, for creating Alice, for bringing comfort to girls like me, for teaching us about life and for inspiring us to live it to the fullest. Thank you for helping us become a better person. Not simply becoming clones of others, not simply becoming like Alice even, but becoming a better version of ourselves. Thank you, for introducing us to a lifelong friend!!!

Phyllis replied:

Thanks so much for your email. I’m happy to know that Alice has been your friend for a long time. I’ve learned a lot from my readers in writing the books, too, and your letters have played a large part in the plots.

Posted on: January 24, 2011

I Just Get Bored

Question:

I’ve written to you several times about my writing and in most of your emails you say the same thing, that i need to be excited about the plot. And well, i realized that I’m not. I’ve grown bored with it. So i was wondering, what makes you come up with your stories? I’ve tried to write about life experiences and even made up stuff but in the end i just get bored of it. I get the urge to write quite often but i never know what to write about.

Phyllis replied:

Okay, then, forget about writing for the moment, and ask yourself what DOES excite you? What do you daydream about? If you could go anywhere or do anything or become anything, what or where would it be? What frightens you? Makes you angry? Start with an emotion rather than an experience, and follow through on a topic. Do the research. Start with your heart, not your head.

Posted on: January 19, 2011

“It’s Not Like I Planned It This Way”

Question:

I am currently a freshman in high school, and one of my friends had your book titled “I Like Him, He Likes Her.” It is a combination of books 13, 14, and 15. She didnt like the book too much, so she gave it to me. I personally enjoy the books, and i am looking forward to reading all of them soon. I also love the skinny dipping part in book 15.. it made me laugh alot. When does the new book come out?

Phyllis replied:

The next collection is already out–“It’s Not Like I Planned It this Way.” These are the 3 books of Alice as a sophomore in high school.

Posted on: January 16, 2011

Not Sure What to Do

Question:

im gotta say that im very excited for 2011 cuz that means a new alice book and then 2013 thee last one 🙁 lol well i have

a question okay there this guy lets name him Jhon …so i went to the movies with jhon n we got flirty holding hands my head on his shoulder Etc.

then he ask me to be his girlfriend n i said yes….but now im not even sure if i even wnna be his girlfriend ..im like 14 n like there was this guy before him that i sorta of went out with during my summer but then he really hurted me n just about a couple weeks ago i realize i dont have feelings for the guy that hurt me..but this guy Jhon i do like him even if he a year younger then me but like im scared of getting hurt ..it took me months just to get over the summer romance and i dont wnna risk that with Jhon and im not even sure what to do like literally i not sure if i should tell him to be frineds or stick with him and see how it goes cause it only been like a week since we been together n im already giving up cuz im a coward and so like what do i do, do i tell him that it better begin friends, or jsut see how it goes….

Phyllis replied:

I remember that awkward time when it was fun and exciting and uncomfortable all at once to hold hands and sit close, but still being unsure about wanting to be somebody’s girlfriend, and just what that meant. I wouldn’t worry too much about being hurt. You are going to be “hurt” a few times in your love life, and a guy is probably going to be “hurt” too, because he will like you more than you like him, or vice versa. This is the way things go until you have a better idea of what you want in a boyfriend. You’ve already said you’d be his girlfriend, so if you turn him down now or later, it’s still going to be uncomfortable. If things are going OK, why not stick with it and see how it goes?

Posted on: January 16, 2011

Made Me Feel More Normal

Question:

I grew up as an only child in an incredibly conservative, religious household. My views were always more liberal than my parents, even at a young age, but I was never able to share those views with them or ask personal questions because of the very strict upbringing. Fortunately though, I had Alice to look to for a little bit of guidance.

I just want to thank you for the Alice Series and for all that your books have taught me. I began reading the series in sixth grade (the same grade that Alice was in at the start of the books) after checking your books out at the library. Having a resource that I could look to and that could answer some of the embarrassing questions that I had was such a comfort. The books made me feel like it was okay if I thought about the things that I did. I was able to read about going to the gynecologist, getting one’s period, making out with a boy for the first time, and even sex.

Your books have made me laugh, have made me think, and most importantly, have made me feel more normal. I am now 23 years old and while it has been a long time since I have read of the books in its entirety, I still consider your series to be some of the most pivotal books that I read as a pre-teen and teenage girl. Without the series, I would have felt a lot more lost and confused. Thank you so much for writing with such honesty and without censorship.

Phyllis replied:

I truly appreciate your email. I’m giving a talk in a few weeks about the Alice books and censorship, and I will be quoting a few lines from your letter, without identifying you, of course. It’s so important to know that we are not alone in our questions, in the things we think about, and it makes growing up so much easier. I felt the same way you did when I was younger–questions I just didn’t feel I could ask. I’m glad to know that my books have helped you, and thank you again for your email.

Posted on: January 16, 2011

Coming Forward

Question:

Hi Pn Since I have written you last about my guy friend I couldn’t stop thinking about things have cooled down a pit in my mind. So I went to youth group tonight and I was talking to him I know this may be a very easy question to answer myself but I thought I would ask you. Well I was talking to him and well I felt that he was getting in my personal space so I stepped back a little pit but everytime I would do so he would take a step forward more I didn’t want to be mean and say your in my Personal Space so I kept trying to back away a little but he would come forward everytime I stepped back. I asked my dad what this meant since he was a teen guy once but he didn’t know so I thought I would ask you what do you think it means?

Phyllis replied:

He either likes your perfume or he has a hearing problem?

Posted on: January 16, 2011

“I Like Him, He Likes Her”

Question:

I am a HUGE fan of the Alice series. I’m reading the book “I like him. He likes her” right now. It is really fantastic! I was so happy when I found a book that I actually loved! (I usually don’t like to read.) I, myself, can relate to Alice Alone, Simply Alice and Patiently Alice because I am a Freshman in High School. Everything from the break ups to the make ups is what’s happening in High School. I recently just dealt with a break up your book really helped me through it.

I just wanted to say thank you for writing those amazing books. You are a beautiful and talented writer.

Phyllis replied:

Thanks so much for writing to me. For those of you who don’t know, my publisher is putting together in one big paperback, all 3 books of Alice’s freshman year in high school, another of her sophomore year, her junior and senior years. Two of the books are already on the market, “I Like Him, He Likes Her,” (freshman year) and “It’s Not Like I Planned it This Way,” (sophomore). I’ll let you know when the other two big paperbacks are published. These are collections of already-published Alice books.

Posted on: January 16, 2011

Should I finish It?

Question:

I’ve been writing a book for about a year now and I made the mistake of showing someone my book. I’ve had lots of trouble finishing it now and I was wondering, do you think I should finish it? My problem is I don’t really have anything else to write about. But then again it’s so hard finshing it. has this ever happend to you? Thank you. I really appreciate it.

Phyllis replied:

I understand how you feel, and that’s why I don’t even TALK about a book I’m writing before I’ve finished a third draft. All someone has to do is raise an eyebrow, or say, “Hasn’t that been done before?” and my bubble bursts. It’s important, when you’re writing, that you feel excited by the plot and what you want to do with it, and any criticism is likely to affect you. Now that you’ve already shown it to someone–and this person has probably commented unfavorably?–I suggest going ahead with it and finishing it. Revise it as many times as you feel necessary to make it the very best you can do. THEN show it around and ask for comments.

Posted on: January 16, 2011

How Can I get Him to Talk?

Question:

Uhh, well, to start off, there’s this guy. I met him through a friend of mine,
and ever since, we’ve been really good friends. I bet your thinking, “what’s the
problem, ur friends with him!” Well, I use to like him, well u can say I still
do. Its just that, he says he doesn’t like me, but he says nice stuff like “I
miss you” or “I really wanna hang out, just the two of us”. I’ve never had a guy
tell me that before. So, yeah, I’m new to this stuff. But, if he says he doent
like me, then why bother to hang out with me alone? Why bother to say I miss
you?
I’m black. And he’s white.
Sometimes I think most guy like me, that are white, its just that it seems like
their scared to say “I like a black girl” I mean, what so wrong about that? I
understand that their probably new to dating a gurl that’s different, but he’s
my best guy friend, we tell each other everything, I mean, EVERYTHING!
Now, its like, he barley talks to me?! How can I get him to talk?
Could you give me some advice?
Thanks so much, and I LOVE your books!!(:

Phyllis replied:

I wish I could see into his head and tell you what he’s really thinking. And obviously, he doesn’t tell you EVERYTHING or you’d already know what’s up. When he says he doesn’t like you, is that to you? He tells others? He means he does like you romantically? It’s possible that he used to like you but is moving on. It’s possible that when he says he misses you, he’s trying to let you down slowly. It’s possible that he really does like you, but the race thing bothers him, and he’s not grown up enough to handle it. But if he rarely talks to you anymore, I’d give him space and not spend too much energy worrying about it. What I would NOT do is try to get him to talk. He may not even know himself exactly how he feels. You have other friends, you have other interests, get involved in other things. To try to force someone to put his feelings into words may make him say things he doesn’t really mean.

Posted on: January 16, 2011

More Alice Movies!

Question:

I LOVE your alice books I can relate to them so well, you make it seem like alice is one of my friends. I think that you should make more of the alice books into movies, because I loved the one that is a movie iv watched it like 10 times. I think that you should write some more alice books about her friends and her in collage! My boyfriend and patrick i think are exactly alike and that makes it even funner to read your books.

Phyllis replied:

There are more Alice books coming, but no movies that I know of. I’m glad you enjoyed the movie “Alice Upside Down.” Your boyfriend must be quite a guy!

Posted on: January 16, 2011