Your Questions Answered

Narrating Alice

More About the Alice “Bible”

He Never Stopped Loving Her

Question:

I am a longtime fan of yours and I think it’s really sweet that you answer emails from your fans and give advice. I could use some myself right now. So there’s this guy (haha, i’m sure you hear that a lot!) and we recently started dating. He is such a great guy. Here’s the issue…. his ex girlfriend. She and my boyfriend dated on/off for a year, and they recently broke up for good. The reason their relationship was so rocky was because she apparently suffers from bipolar disorder. She would lash out at him for no reason and start screaming, and then would randomly be really sweet and loving, and sometimes really clingy and insecure, and it was hard for him to deal with. The problem is, they just started talking and he told me that he isn’t really fully over her. She’s apparently been suicidal and he wants to help her out, but it’s really hard to date him with her ALWAYS around. It’s clear that they still have feelings for each other, but I just don’t understand why! I mean, she’s a pretty girl and all, but I don’t get why he would still want anything to do with such a crazy, clingy girl. She went and left notes on his door after they broke up and would always call him consistently. It really hurt the other night when he told me that he is trying to get over her, but can’t, and the reason they broke up for good was because his mom didn’t like her, and that he never really stopped loving her. I just don’t know what to do, I really like this guy and he’s my first real boyfriend, but I can’t stand the fact that he still has feelings for this bipolar ex of his. I’m not sure what I should do- if i should just ignore her or give him time to get over her. Thanks for taking the time to read this. I’m sorry it was so long.

Phyllis replied:

You really don’t have to understand why your boyfriend still loves this girl; you need to accept that he does.  He may not understand it either, but who can ever say why exactly we fall in love with someone?  The reasons can be extremely complicated.  He is being honest with you; there is an attraction he can’t fully explain, but if she is treating him badly, this is his problem to deal with.  I get a fair number of letters from both girls and guys saying they worry that if they leave, their friend will commit suicide.  This is the way some people hold on to their boyfriends, but it also says that the boyfriend likes to feel needed.  My advice is to tell your boyfriend you understand, that he is free to go back to this girl.  As it is, he has you for a respite when things get tough, and his ex-girlfriend’s love when she’s in a good mood.  It’s time for him to face the reality of dealing with her without a second-choice standing by.  Don’t be angry with him; don’t be weepy.  But definitely make yourself available to other guys who are more independent.

Found the Alice Books by Mistake

Question:

I have always really wanted to talk to you and since I have yet, to see you just walking down the street somewhere in Maryland I decided to email you. I live in Maryland myself so I’ve been to all the places mentioned in the books, that are in Maryland. I know you probably get tons of fan mail and hear the same things over and over again but I really do love the Alice books and I’ve been reading them since I was Alice’s age in Starting with Alice, and now I’m 14 so I’m kind of a fast reader,  hehehe. But I found the Alice books by mistake the first one I actually read was Alice on the outside when this older girl gave me all the old books. I loved it even though I had no idea what was going on! When I found out it was a series I was ecstatic. So I went back and read everyone and continue reading everyone. I’m waiting for my library to get Alice In Charge so I can read it! So how many books do you have left? Because it seems like you can just keep making Alice books forever, I promise I would still read them. I  hope another movie is made off of the books also because I don’t think the movie did the series justice. I think a nice movie where at the end her dad marries Ms. Summers would be great. Also I am a writer too. I know I’m young and I’m trying to wait until I’m older to publish but all the stories I have written I really want someone to hear them. I read your advice on how to get a book published and I thank you for that.

Phyllis replied:

I love hearing that readers picked up an Alice book by mistake and fell in love with it.  I  hope this some day happens to you, and wish you every success in your own writing!

The Alice “Bible”

Question:

I just wanted to take the time to thank you for the Alice Series. Alice has felt
like a real friend to me, she has brought me comfort by showing me that I’m not
the only person who embarrasses herself on a daily basis, or questions and
doubts certain aspects of her life, and is having the complicated and chaotic
life of a normal teenage girl. The books are relevant and relatable, and I have
been addicted ever since I started reading them 5 years ago (I’m 16 now). I
can’t wait for the next book, and Always Alice, and the Alice Bible. So thank
you so much for giving me a friend as loyal and lovable as Alice.

Phyllis replied:

Thank you for your email.  For those who don’t know, the Alice “bible” is a bound 100-page list of all the information our wonderful copy editor could gather, from all the Alice books, that I refer to when I write a new Alice book and that she refers to when she checks each new manuscript to see if I have changed somebody’s name or hair color.  In this “bible” it lists all the presents Alice every received, all the boyfriends Liz ever had, what their rooms look like, their teachers’ names, as well as all the mistakes that have popped up in the books–things we didn’t catch before we made the “bible.”  Readers have expressed an interest in reading this, or buying it, and recently I talked to my editor about it.   She says that after the very last Alice book is published in 2013 and the Bible is “finished,” they will put it online so that any of you who would like to relive all the Alice books, all her embarrassments, her entire life, can read about them, item by item, category by category, in the “bible.”

They Were Meant for Each Other

Question:

It worries me, die-hard Alice and Patrick ‘shipper that I am, that we’ve been seeing so much of the two of them in the latest books. I know, this goes against logic. Most people have been begging for more scenes about them for years. I, myself, would be lying if I denied that the first thing I do upon opening a new Alice book is scan for all of the Patrick scenes. But let me follow this logic through:

It seems unrealistic that a couple who first began dating when they were twelve years old would end up together in the long run. After all, who picks out their final soul mate when they’re still giving out paper valentines? It could be possible if say, they broke up and stayed that way for years, rediscovering each other one summer between college. But being high school sweethearts means that they’re going to have to split up when Alice goes to college, have completely separate lives, and then finally find each other twenty years later when they’re both divorced with two kids. Now, I don’t think I’m alone when I say I don’t want that for them. Sure, it’d be a happy ending of a kind – after all, they’d end up together. But all those years apart! Heartache.

Given the airtight logic, I’m worried about their trajectory. Alice has practically declared her undying love for Patrick (though I noticed he never said it back… perhaps this is a possible conflict for future resolution?). Surely, a couple can’t be each others’ firsts for everything and then still stand the test of time.

Don’t tease me, Phyllis. I don’t care about reality. Fiction was invented to make wondrous things happen, like people falling in love when they’re just kids and making it work for all the years that follow. If that’s not great fiction, I don’t know what is.

Give the people what they want. Change that final fireproof-safe-protected manuscript if you have to. Alice and Patrick belong together. They were created for each other*. Literally. By you. Don’t deny them the future they were destined to have from conception.

Love,

The biggest Alice fan you’ll ever meet. (And we did meet, about 10 years ago at a signing in Portland, Oregon. It was lovely to see you. I still have the autographed copy of Jade Green. Which, incidentally, is still one of my favorite of your books.)

*I realize that Alice, at least, wasn’t created solely for Patrick. But still, they are the perfect relationship foil, which has to mean something in relation to their creation (sorry, bad rhyme).

Phyllis replied:

I’m not teasing, honestly.  It’s you guys who keep trying to pry the answers out of me.  My lips are sealed and so is the manuscript.  The final book Will Reveal All!  But I loved hearing from a fan I met ten years ago in Portland!

My Jealousy Issue

The Alice Books

 I am such a huge fan of the Alice books!!!
Ive been reading them since I was 7-ish, (I’m 13 now), and I still love them!
I re-read them all the time! Theres always one on my nightstand or desk it seems.
I cannot wait until the last three come out!!
You are such an awesome writer!

Phyllis replied:

Thank you very much!

Waiting for Prince Charming

Alice in Charge