Alice Blog
Question:
Can you help me out? one of my “friends” and I do not get along. we constantly bicker, call eachother names, try to make eachother jealous, and basically bully eachother. we both can not seem to put our differences aside. we have tried talking about our problem, because there obviously is one, but we end up playing the blame game, or else we will be okay for a while and then we just start fighting again. im pretty sure each of us have healthy relationships with everyone else in our lvies, yet somehow we make an exception for eachother. its gotten particularly bad lately, and im really sick of it all. how do i make this madness end? im not even sure where it started.
Phyllis replied:
Time for a time-out. I suggest a two-week vacation from each other. Don’t call, don’t email, try not to be in the same crowd if the other is present or ignore each other if you are–tell your friends, if they ask, that you are not fighting, you are taking a vacation to help you get along better.
Posted on: May 24, 2010
Question:
I would just like to say thanks for writing the Alice Series they are hands down my favorite books. You have done a phenomenal job and I wish you would never stop writing them. I read the whole series in a month and find myself rereading them. Being in 10 grade can be hard at times and the alice series always has a bit of advise. These books make me laugh out loud and cry at the same time I’m always waiting for the next one to come out. And i was wondering what date the next book would come out on. Thanks for reading this email and I look forward to your reply!
Phyllis replied:
Look for “Alice in Charge” on June 15.
Posted on: May 24, 2010
Question:
I’ve read your books and tell you the truth-they are amazing. 🙂
Phyllis, since I’ve saw you helping so many people with their troubles, I have an intention of asking you to help me with this problem that I am now facing.
I am 13 years old, and I do tuition for Theory(Music) . One day, when I was having class, my teacher behaved suddenly so cruel and abusive to me. She yelled, scolded and demanded me when I was doing my work. Whenever I do a mistake, she will yell at me, then push my hand away from the book and rub of all my work. I have no idea why did she became to scary. It was because of that, I wanted so desperately to change teachers. I wanted my piano teacher to teach my theory instead, but it’s just that her charge of fees is quite high but I really, desperately wanted her to teach me but I don’t have the money to pay her. I then was so desperate to find a job(any job) to earn money for the tuition fees. Can suggest a job for a 13 year old??
As for my old teacher, I have no intention of seeing her again. I’ve also asked around why is she suddenly so violent and did many things. But I couldn’t find an answer and I just don’t want to go back and see her again. All I ask for, Phyllis, is you to suggest me a job for a 13 year old. It can be any job.
Phyllis replied:
I don’t know where you live or what is available in your community, nor do I know what things you do well. I would love for readers to help me out here and suggest jobs that other 13 year-olds do in their own neighborhoods. Look around you and ask what needs to be done. Baby-sitting? Weeding? Watering plants? Taking dogs for walks? Mowing grass? Scrubbing porches? Helping out at children’s birthday parties? Think what you like to do and what you do best. Then post notices on community bulletin boards and tell neighbors that you are available.
Posted on: May 24, 2010
Question:
ok so my lil brother is what 11 going on 12 and he like the good kid
shy one too but then i look at his phone and he has pictures he hads pictures of girls..in binkis and showing hardly nothing
and it really hurts to know he that type of guy and i know you proably going to say he growing up and all that but what do i do tell my mom and dad hey look at your son phone beacuse i think he tooo young to be looking at that stuff
part of me wants to tell so he will never do that again
the 2 part is telling me he growing up and i have to let him grow
cuz he a guy and all but i dont know what to do =[
what will you do
Phyllis replied:
I’m not sure if you’re telling me that your younger brother is looking at very sexy pictures of women or if he is looking at hard-core porn. If they are mostly sexy pictures of women wearing very little or perhaps no clothing, I think I would keep his privacy. I would also tell him what you’ve seen on his phone and how you came to be snooping, but unless he is looking at really far-out pornography, which would probably give him a very distorted view of sex, or–more troubling to me–would be pictures of sexual violence toward women, I’d chalk this up to his nearing puberty and getting interested, mentally and physically, in sexual feelings. My guess is that his knowing that big sister is keeping an eye on him might keep his sexual “peeping” within normal limits.
Posted on: May 24, 2010
Question:
I would just like to let you know that I am your biggest fan. Just 1 month ago, I friend of mine introduced me to The Alice Books, and since then I have read almost all of them! I am 12 years old, and have been facing many issues in my family, and life. I would like to thank you for providing young readers like me with such amazing books! Oh, and in case you were wondering, my favorite book so far is Alice in Lace. My teacher just recently had us do almost the exact same project. Ok, so I do have a question. Are ya’ll planing on making any more movies based on the books? I have already seen Alice upside down, and really enjoyed it! Ok, so I know that you aren’t like a counselor or anything, but I was wondering if I could get your advice on a little ‘issue’ I am having. So here’s the deal… My mom has this rule that I’m not even allowed to think about guys till I’m20. Well.. Last year there was this guy in my class who I really liked… Long story short… He’s in my class again, and he’s 15. (this class is for kids 5th-12th grade) Do you have any advice as to what I should do? I think he likes me, ’cause when I called him the “Anti-Britt”, as usual, (long story by the way,) he called me British Lover. HE’S 50% BRITISH! I haven’t told my mom yet. You are about the only person I can trust with this ‘problem’, and I don’t really even know you. I really appreciate you taking the time to read and reply to my email.
I can’t wait to hear back from you,
Phyllis replied:
As far as I know, there are no new Alice movies planned at present. Regarding your problem, if my mom said I couldn’t even think about boys till I was 20, I’d be thinking about them 24/7. There is a big age difference between a 12 year old girl and a 15 year old guy. The older people get, the less it matters. But right now, that’s probably a lot. I think he enjoys flirting with you and vice versa. I’m not sure what your problem is, because you’re not even talking about going out with him. But nobody can keep you from thinking about someone, and personally, I think you should enjoy your fantasies and have fun teasing each other in class. Having friends is not a crime. Thinking about love is not a crime. Thinking about friends loving each other, even when they’re three years apart in age, is not a crime. And ask your mom at what age she had her first boyfriend.
Posted on: May 11, 2010
Question:
So, our grade went to an environmental camp for a week last week. It was great fun!! And the boy, the one that sent me the e-mail, was of course there, and at some point he ended up asking me to go with him. I said sure. Later I found out my friend told him to ask me to the movies. He did, right in front of everyone, and I said sure again. Then my friends ran off giggling. It was sort of awkward and we just said good-bye and walked away from each other.
Then, later, while the whole camp was playing an epic game that happened all across the campus, we randomly ran into each other and teamed up. He then, out of nowhere, asked what movie I wanted to see, and I said, “I don’t know.”
I really, really like this guy. He’s basically my best guy friend and we’ve known each other for a while. My parents have heard of him (they only know we’re friends, except for when I once told my mom I liked him — but later, out of fear I’d said too much, told her I’d changed my mind) and my dad has met him once before, at open house night at school. That’s the problem: my parents don’t know anything about this. I’m not sure about his parents, but his mom is a substitute teacher at our school and I know her pretty well, and I’ve met his dad too. I’m eleven years old and earlier this year my dad told me I could start dating when I’m 12. I’ll turn twelve in a few months. Anyway, I don’t want to wait that long! I don’t think I should tell my parents, but still, how would I go to the movies? I really wouldn’t like lying to them — I love them and have never taken them for granted. So what should I do?
Phyllis replied:
So far so good. Even though your friends set him up to ask you out, he obviously showed signs of liking you which prompted them to do it. You sound as though you have a good relationship with your parents, but now you want to go out with this boy. Here’s the way to score points all around: Tell your parents this boy whom you like, and think they would like, has asked you to go to the movies, that they’ve said you can’t go out until you’re twelve, so you would like to invite him and a few of your friends over for a pizza party, to watch a new DVD, to play a game….whatever you want. They should be impressed that you are letting them in on your life, not keeping secrets, and hopefully, they’ll say yes. (They certainly should! This gives them a chance to see what kind of boy likes their daughter, and what kind of boy their daughter is attracted to!) Then tell the boy that your parents are a little old-fashioned, you can’t go out with him till you’re twelve, but you’re having some friends over for pizza, and could he come? If you start off on the wrong foot and go to the movies with him without your parents knowing, they might eventually find out and this will start you off on a very mistrustful relationship for your teen years.
Posted on: May 11, 2010
Question:
Do you read the books you write? Like ones that you wrote a while back, or recent ones?
Phyllis replied:
I often go back and reread a book I wrote perhaps five years before. I like to see if I would have changed anything if I were writing it now. Generally I find something I would do a little differently, and that makes me feel good, because it means I’m still growing and learning.
Posted on: May 11, 2010
Question:
Whenever I’m around a guy that I like I get really nervous. My heart starts to race and my hands will start to shake. This is a very big give away that I like them. I was wondering, do you know any ways of keeping calm when you are nervous? I’m supposed to hang out with this guy that I like, and I’m worried that when I go to hug him my heart is going to be beating really hard (it beats so hard that I can see my chest moving)… That’ll be soo embarrassing! Any ideas of what I could do?
Oh and this isn’t just when I’m nervous. It happens when I’m really excited too… I guess I’m just not very good at hiding my emotions.
Phyllis replied:
Why are you trying to hide it? How do you know this isn’t part of your charm, your individuality? If a guy hugged you and you could feel his heart beating fast, wouldn’t you be flattered? For all you know,your beating heart turns him on.
Posted on: May 11, 2010
Question:
i have a question for as u know im in eight grade and graduation coming very soon
and im really looking forward to it but my biggest concern is my not so really so call frined lets call her J beacuse like
she gets mad soooo easily so if i say something even a lil thing she be mad at me like she wont even want to be friends or something like it of course i dont really mind but we hang out with the same people so she cant really kick me out of the group…but like she cant having me leaving her as if she some kinda princess that controls eveything..cuz i feel that i have to make her feell what she wants feel like if she happy she cant be mad ;dont make fun of sometihng unless she does
and with the others in the group i feel like soo normal and i dont have to act an cetarin way you know but still do i tell this girl the way she acting or wait till next year when im in highschool to hopefully meet new people with people i dont have to worry about wat they think of me>?
Phyllis replied:
Hearing about this drama queen makes me wonder why you want to be friends with her in the first place. I think I would walk away the minute she starts her whining and spend my time with someone else. My guess is that when you get to high school–and you will definitely make new friends there–you will wonder how you stood her this long.
Posted on: May 6, 2010
Question:
i just cant wait till june when alice in charge comes out why does it take so long if the book is alredy written?
Phyllis replied:
There is SO much to do even after the book is written. First it has to go through several revisions, after the editor sees it; then the copy-editor checks it for dates, names, permissions, errors, punctuation, spelling and zillions of other things; then the editor or I reads it all over again to make sure the copy-editor’s questions are answered; then it goes to the art department and the design people to think about the cover, the type, the whole look of the book; then my editor sends me various ideas for the jacket and we discuss that; then it goes to the printer; then we have to read the galleys; then an advance paperback copy goes out to reviewers; then it goes to the distributor who takes it to bookstores…. I’ve probably left out a lot of steps, but I have more emails to answer tonight. Hope that answers your question!
Posted on: May 6, 2010
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