Alice Blog

Thank you for the memoroes

It seems I have had quite a similar experience to many other people here on Alice’s blog. I remember the Alice series so fondly as I was growing up. I’m just now ordering all the boxed sets, so that I can have my own collection! Phyllis, you painted an amazing picture of a girl who I related to so well, yet she also acted like an older sister to me. Being raised an only child by my nan, Alice’s life opened so many pathways to life lessons I would have had no clue about.

In a world of technology, I only hope that more young audiences will read your books and use Alice as a role model. I think she’s done a world of good.

Thank you so much for your message.  It delights me to know what the books were helpful to so many people.  I’m glad you’re getting a boxed set, as I’m not sure how long those will be available.

Thank You- ACTUAL ONE

Hello, I hope this is still an active place to contact you. I am not here to ask a question, but I am here to thank you for your Alice books.

A few weeks ago I was reminiscing on the books I loved so much as a child, and I started remembering your Alice series. I don’t remember that much, and I believe I never actually finished the series. But what I do remember is the hold it had on me when I was around 12, and the lessons it taught me.

I cannot say thank you enough for that series. I don’t know if you know how much it prepared young girls like me for teenager-hood. I grew up with no cousins around my age, especially female cousins. I was pretty much on my own in experiencing the adventure that was being a teenage girl in America. My mom was and still is in my life, but she has always been quite out of the loop. Older than the parents of a lot of my friends, and raised in a much more strict, patriarchal country, she just did not get it. She tried her best to prepare me, but her advice could only do so much. Your books helped me tremendously.

I stopped reading the books, if I recall correctly, around when I was 13/14. It was never something I actively looked back into, like a manual when I needed advice. Instead, the life of Alice was a story that hid in my subconscious, following me. It was not until a few weeks ago that I realized the extent to which reading about Alice’s life prepared me. I was never given “the talk” about sex from my parents, and it was not taught at school for me until long before I had already learned what it was. It was your book that taught me that. It was your book that gave me lessons on handling friendships, periods, crushes, school, and supporting others. Hell, it was your books that taught me what was appropriate to wear at a wedding! Not that my parents didn’t know this, just that “don’t wear funeral colors at a wedding” was something that was simply never told to me, I was just expected to know. Thank you for that.

(Or was it the other way around, where Alice tried to wear a white dress to a funeral? I do not remember all too well. I think it was a black/purple dress for a wedding)

Not all the lessons, I have used yet. I may never. My parents are still married, I have not had to deal with the grief of losing a mother, or the worries of gaining a stepmother. But I truly appreciate how you went the miles to include practically every experience a girl could go through– at least the lessons you are experienced enough to educate on. You have probably helped so many girls without mothers or caring mother figures in their lives, in a deeper way than you have helped me. Your Alice series is a treasure, and I hope you are able to read this.
Thank You.

 

I appreciate your letter very much, and have deleted everything that could possibly identify you.  Your email could have been sent by any hundreds of thousands of girls, because so many tell me the exact same thing.  In fact, I could have written it myself when I was a teenager, because my mother–although she was sweet and caring, knew almost nothing about life as a teenage girl in a city where we were living.  She grew up on a farm in Iowa, became a teacher in a country school when she was in her teens, and could not help us when it came to how to dress or use make up or do our hair, and she was especially worried about how far we would go with a boyfriend.  But she did her best, and I don’t hold that against her.

I hope that you will be able to find the books about Alice when she was in college and for all the years afterwards.  If you just are able to read the final book–Now I’ll Tell You Everything  (Alice’s life from 18 to 60) I think you would like it very much.

 

I was once a young reader…..now an audiobook narrator!

Hello Phyllis,

I came across your books as a 6th grader in 2002 and fell in love with Alice instantly! I read every book that my school libraries and local library had of the series! In my mind, Alice was another one of MY best friends. I told my friends about what happened in her books as if she WAS my real friend. She walked with me through many years of middle school and high school. I even coveted my best friend, whom had red hair! As an elementary school teacher, I kept many copies on my classroom shelves. After 9 years in the classroom, I am working as an audiobook narrator and voice actress! I believe that Alice IS A TIMELESS series! I want to be a part of reading and telling some of my most favorite stories so that readers today can listen! I would LOVE to read and bring some of the Alice books back to life! So here I am, a lifetime reader, turned narrator – obsessed with all things Alice! I thought I would shoot my shot and send a message! <3 Rachael

I really loved your  message, and think that many girls would enjoy hearing Alice’s voice, not just reading her words.  I have no idea how books get turned into audio books–I imagine it’s the original publisher who makes the decisions, but I think it’s a grand idea and hope you find a way to do it.  I gave a lecture recently on book banning, and read that hilarious dialogue between Alice (in 5th grade) and her dad (with her brother chiming in) as to how the sperm gets inside a woman, and it brought many laughs from the adult audience.

Alice was my best friend

Just wanted to send a note of thanks to the author whose books raised me. My dad died in 2001 when I was 12, and luckily he left me with a love of reading, a passion for learning, and the determination to seek out answers. We come from a very abusive, abused family. After he died, I really had no one and all I could think to do was read. My school librarian handed me the first Alice book, and after that I returned to the library over and over again to gobble up the rest. Outside the covers of those books, I was told I was selfish, disgusting, shameful, and a slut, and I was threatened and abused constantly. But when my nose was in a book, I was allowed some peace and quiet to myself, and I learned how to love myself. Alice was curious and brave and loving and I pretended I was a part of her family. I learned and cultivated empathy by reading those books, and I believe they helped me survive. I’ve been healing recently, and Alice pops into my head a lot, like an old friend. Wishing you well. Thank you so much for everything.

I was so glad to get your note to me.  You must have a lot of courage to stick by yourself and give yourself a chance to change when you know you must.    How wonderful of that school librarian to suggest my books.   No one else knows all that is going on inside us, and sometimes the only one who can give us the support we need is our very selves.  I’m hoping you have many happy times ahead, and so appreciate your writing to me.

A quick thank you ❤️

Hi there, I’m 26 now and began reading the Alice series at 10/12 and she has stuck with me in such an important way. I’m up too late reading (some things never change) and got to thinking about the books that changed me. And I just wanted to say thank you for writing so honestly and unflinchingly. You were one of the authors that got that shy, anxious kiddo through to adulthood. ❤️

I’m so glad to hear that!  Actually, I’m giving a talk tomorrow night to an adult audience, and will be mentioning the many fan letters I’ve received about the Alice books.  I’m going to mention the last sentence in your message.  Thank you!

How can I find a scene I remember in the Alice books?

Go to the top of this page and look for the category that says “Just the Facts.”  You will find EVERY ALICE BOOK listed, divided into chapters, with  the  main happenings in each chapter described.  This is your gift from the publisher.  In editorial terms, this is called a bible.  The copy editors use it when they want to look up a certain incident and need to know the page number.  We thought that Alice readers would appreciate having this too, and you will be amazed at how long this is, and how detailed.   Enjoy, enjoy!

 

Patrick and Alice

In “Now I’ll tell you everything” Patrick admits his attraction to another woman and I was just curious on how that felt for you to write out & Alice’s response? I just finished the series and it was the best thing ever.

I’d also like to say this whole series is amazing and I’m glad I got introduced to it. I love it I hope to read more from you.

I just  wanted to show that even in the best marriages, couples can’t help but note that other men and women are attractive and enjoy being around them.  But this doesn’t mean that you need to start an affair.  Alice and Patrick are proving that even when the attraction is strong and you are tempted, you love your partner enough that you simply would never hurt him or her by taking the attraction further, and I wanted the reader to see how Alice and Patrick handle this when it happens in their marriage.  Their love is strong enough that they can talk about it with each other, and Patrick is very glad he took the high road.

Specific passage

Hello! Which Alice book has the scene where Alice finds something of her mother’s (or maybe it’s when Aunt Sally sends her the locket?) and then she is hit with that gut feeling of missing her mother. She later asked her dad about the feeling, and he said something along the lines of, “it’s called longing. It’s called missing someone.” I remember that being an exceptionally moving passage I read, and I’ve saved all my Alice books and I’d basically just like to be able to go back and re-read that passage. I’ve been thumbing through the books but that’s feeling like a needle-in-the-haystack search. Any help tracking down the passage I’m looking for?

I don’t know which book that is, and there are 28 books in the series!  Somewhere in this website, there is supposed to be an “Alice bible,” they call it in editorial language, where each book is described by its highlights.  I can’t tell you right off where that is, but if you go back to the opening page of the website and look at the different categories along the top, you might find something that sounds like a summary of each book.  Perhaps you could find the passage you’re looking for that way.

You have another new fan!!!

Not really a question, but I just want to say, I’ve been reading the Alice books to my fiancé, and it turns out he loves them! He’s not much of a reader, but we finished “The Agony of Alice” in three days and he enjoyed it so much. He laughed many times (he finds Lester pretty funny!), he seemed concerned when the bed almost fell on Alice’s head, and at the end when Mrs. Plotkin gives Alice the ring, he even shed tears. Usually he falls asleep when I read but with your book he stayed awake to hear more. We can’t wait to read the rest of the series! He says you’re a great writer who can really “paint a picture.” Thanks for your books that allowed me to share such a great moment with the Patrick to my Alice!

It’s nice to enjoy the same things, and he will undoubtedly like Lester’s role in Alice’s life as she grows older.  Especially poignant, I think, when he tells her the three qualities that make up true love….

Alice books hold up through time

Hi! I’ve written a handful of times, I think, but not recently. I loved the Alice books from elementary school, and I’m 27 now. I live in Florida and Hurricane Ian knocked out my power for about a week, and I ended up diving into an Alice book set (It’s Not Like I Planned It This Way) to pass the time while we waited for power. It was a great escape and I see you are still actively answering letters so I wanted to tell you even at age 27, these books are priceless and timeless, and I will be hopefully passing them to my own future child when the time comes. Thank you for helping me get through such a hard week. Hope you and your loved ones are well!

You’re obviously one of the lucky ones to only lose power for a week, but I’m glad to know it wasn’t worse for you.  I’m glad you feel that the Alice books are timeless, even though she never uses a cell phone or so many other gadgets that we use today.  Feelings are the same.  I’m giving a lecture next week on censorship and have been reading old letters from fans telling how certain books helped them through a difficult time.  Thanks so much for writing to me.