Shiloh Blog

Looking Forward to the Next Three Books

Comment:

I as very surprised that Judd gave Shiloh to Marty and even gave Marty a less used collar for Shiloh to wear, and I was also surprised that Judd started to be nice to Marty.  I saw that you have written other Shiloh books and I am looking forward to reading them. Thank you for entertaining me.

Phyllis replied:

I think you’ll like those next 3 books just as much.

Judd Opens up a Little to Marty

I enjoyed reading the book Shiloh a lot. Marty built lots of theories and paths. That is why I like the book Shiloh. Judd opened up a little to Marty. And by the end, Marty had Shiloh. You have made the best book I have ever read. I’m serious. And I hope that we will read the next Shiloh.

Phyllis replied:

It takes a long time for Judd to really turn his life around, as you will see in the last 3 books of the Shiloh quartet.  But at least Marty makes a start in helping him along.

The German Shephard…Genius!

Comment:

I am writing because I have some questions about “Shiloh”. I have only read the first book in the series, so some of my questions will probably be answered in the second or third book. I would like to ask how long did it take to write this wonderful book? How did you come up with the twist of the German Shepard and how Marty kept working and never gave up? He has quite the perseverance!

Phyllis replied:

The German Shepard demonstrated that decisions have consequences, some good, some bad.  My own favorite part of the book was how Marty kept working, keeping his part of the bargain, and actually became a role model for Judd.

The Paths you Took in Shiloh

Comment:

I am writing to you today because I want to talk about your book, “Shiloh”. First of all, I want to say that “Shiloh” was an amazing book and I would rate it 10 out of 10 stars. One question I have is; How did you come up with that ending? It’s a very good one and if I wrote this book it would not be as good as yours. The biggest surprise for me was when you mentioned Baker’s dog because no one thought about it and then all the sudden he makes a huge part of the story. I also want to know; Was hard choosing the paths you took in the story? I think if I was an author I would have trouble thinking of the paths and choices to make.

Phyllis replied:

I’m delighted that you gave it such a high rating.  When I started writing the book, I began by wanting to know how an eleven year old boy could convince a man like Judd to let him have his dog.  But as I got to know my characters and try to put myself in the place of each one, they acted just as they did in the story, because that seemed like the most logical way they would behave and feel.  It was hard to write about the Bakers’ dog and its attack, but yes, Marty’s decision to hide the dog had its consequences.  If you read all four books, which are like a continued story, you will see that Marty had other choices to make, and that all his problems weren’t solved once he got  Shiloh from Judd.

Shiloh Letters

Comment:

Do you have an address where I could mail something to you my students did for Marty/Shiloh? We just studied it as a whole class novel. We are located in Indianola, IA and I teach fourth grade!

Phyllis replied:

You may mail it to me at 401 Russell Avenue, Apt. 713, Gaithersburg, MD  20877

Is there a real Shiloh, West Virginia?

Comment:

I’ve read all four of the Shiloh books.  Is there a real place called Shiloh, West Virginia?

Phyllis replied:

Yes, there is.  It’s a small community, and the last time I visited, there was just a simple little road sign to tell a traveler that he was entering Shiloh.  If you were to stop at the small post office in the town of Friendly,  West Virginia, the postmaster could tell you how to get up there.  The old Shiloh school house is gone, but you would see Middle Island Creek, and the bridge that Shiloh didn’t want to cross again.

 

We love Shiloh!

Comment:

We really loved the book Shiloh. We are a 4th grade classroom at the small school called Sacred Catholic School. We live in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our school is a classical education school which means we only read REALLY awesome great books like your book.

Our favorite part of Shiloh was when Marty saved Shiloh and Judd Travers was even a little nice to Marty at the end.

We had a lot of great conversations about this book. We wanted to know if you agreed that Marty should’ve kept Shiloh a secret from his parents. We talked a lot about which was right… to lie to your parents and save Shiloh or tell the truth and know Shiloh could get hurt. What would you have done?

Last thing… have you ever been to Nebraska? If you ever come here, please visit us! We’d love to have you!

God bless,

Miss Scolaro’s 4th grade class

 

Phyllis replied:

Thank you for your wonderful letter.  The questions you were asking yourselves about what Marty should do were the same conversations I was having in my head when I wrote the book.  Fortunately, I didn’t have to make a decision in real life because friends of ours in West  Virginia finally adopted the dog.   And just as Marty says to his dad, when his father tells him he wants him to do what’s right, “What’s RIGHT?”  There are situations in life where it’s hard to tell the difference between right and wrong.  Yes, I have been to your great state.  In fact, I was there in 1996 to accept the Nebraska Golden Sower Award for Shiloh, and again in 1999 to accept the Golden Sower Award for Shiloh Season, the second book in the series.  I hope your class will also enjoy Saving Shiloh and the final book, A Shiloh Christmas.

Could I have a signed copy of your book?

Comment:

I just want to start out by saying your book, Shiloh is amazing! I just read it for about the 10th time and every time I never come out from reading Shiloh dry-eyed. This book absolutely touched my heart. I think Judd is cruel to have beaten his dogs. This book really opened my eyes. When I grow up I want to be a dog charity owner, and save every dog I possibly could! I think it’s amazing how your brain came up with all of these different ideas! If you possibly could I would love a copy of your book Shiloh signed.

Phyllis replied:

Wouldn’t it be great if authors could just write books and give them out free? But just as plumbers aren’t expected to give free service and restaurants wouldn’t stay in business if they gave out free meals, authors make their living by writing and seeing their books sold in bookstores.  But I am always glad to  sign books that are sent to me or that people bring to author signings.  I’m just so happy that you like my book, and hope you do become a dog charity owner.

 

 

 

Shiloh questions

Comment:

What a pleasure to read ALL your Shiloh series for the last 12 years as a third grade public school teacher in San Diego County. Every year there are laughs, tears, and suspense during our read-aloud time.

My class is wondering if Judd Travers is based upon a real character. The query opened with a young fellow (Erick) asking if I thought (the real)Judd would be mad if he read the books, and found himself portrayed as the grumpy old man he seems to be in the books.

The class would be tickled if you were to reply. Perhaps we would have more questions to ask you.

As a dog owner my whole life, your stories have touched me deeply, and provided fertile ground for lessons on animal love and abuse.

Phyllis replied:

I’ve never met anyone exactly like Judd–he’s all from my imagination–but I said this once in a classroom of second-grade kids–that I  hoped there wasn’t anyone like Judd–and two boys immediately called out, “Yeah, my dad,” and they were serious. Also, I revisited the area of the country where I had originally found the stray dog who was the inspiration for Shiloh in my books, and some of the students there thought they “knew” who Judd was.  The book, I guess, is that real to them, and if there is such a man, I hope he’s changed for the better.

When you write a book, you have to enter the story so thoroughly that the characters just “come” to you on their own, and they seem to instinctively tell you what they would do next.  When Judd told Marty, after all that work, that their “contract” wasn’t valid because it didn’t have a witness, I hated that man with a passion.  If I didn’t feel it, the reader never would.  At the end of the first book, I knew that I wouldn’t trust him, even though he had turned over that dog collar to Marty.  So there had to be a second book to show that Judd was really changing.  But I still wasn’t satisfied that some time he might come across Shiloh in the woods, be angry that he let Marty have him, and would shoot the dog.  What, I asked myself, would Judd have to finally do to ever convince Marty that he wouldn’t hurt Shiloh, or try to get him back?  And so I wrote the last two books.

How did you come up with the plot for Shiloh?

Comment:  How did you come up with the plot for Shiloh?

My reply:   Most of my books begin with a certain situation in mind, and then a question.  When I actually came across this abused dog in West Virginia, I thought, “I’m sure this dog was abused.  What if we found the owner, and offered to buy the dog, but he refused.  How could we persuade him to change his mind?”   After that, things sort of fell into place.  The more I imagined the character of Judd Travers, and then the family situation, of not having much money, scenes kept coming to mind and wrote them.