The Meaning of Growing Up

I`m writing to you from Germany. Now, I´m 20, nearly 21 and in my second year of college. I read and listened to your Alice books, since I was in first grade. Last week I finished the last book. It´s crazy to read about this character and know everything about her life. She´s more like a friend. I wanted to thank you for writing Alice and telling her wonderful and chaotic life. Your books were the first book series, that felt real. Alice isn´t perfect, she is so much more than that. I can tell you, that I´m gonna read Alice to my future children, just because I learned so many things from her.

I´m a writer myself and I always struggled with the thin line of fiction and reality. I hope, when Alice is loosely based on your life and thoughts, that you are happy with your Patrick.

P.s: In German, the first book is called: “Aller Anfang ist verflixt, Alice” and I know the first few books by heart. So again, thank you for a childhood, I would never change for everything in the world. Even for the ability of being cool not awkward.

I love hearing from readers in other countries, and am astonished that you have been able to locate the entire series (28 books).  I was so happy when my publisher finally published the whole series in three paperback boxed sets–Alice in Elementary, Alice in Middle School and Alice in High School and beyond.  I don’t how many sets they published, but I hope they are still available to readers wanting all the books.  Much of the material was based on incidents in my life or the lives of my friends or things I read about, but most was from my imagination.  I hope your “future children” enjoy them and that you have good luck with your own writing.   My “Patrick” died eight years ago, I’m sad to say, but we had a long life together, and I still expect to see him next to me when I open my eyes each morning…