Alice Blog
Question:
I have been reading your responses to questions for about a year. I appreciate the advice you give to all writers. Your response to the Without a Condom email worried me, it seems like this was a teachable moment to get the writer go get some reliable birth control she is responsible for. Although a condom is better than nothing, it certainly isn’t a fool proof method of birth control
Phyllis replied:
You’re absolutely right. A nurse or doctor or Planned Parenthood would have good advice about birth control. The question I printed was only part of a very long letter, most of which concerned the relationship with the boyfriend. I had answered the reader personally, but chose a small part of her letter to post on the fan mail page.
Posted on: December 2, 2009
Question:
I’m thinking of becoming a writer so I thought you would be the perfect person to contact.I have a few questions, do you have any say in how the cover will look? I would, and do you get to write the summary on the back to give readers a preview of the book or does the editor do that? I also have a problem I really want to publish my books but I don’t want my parents to read it! I know it sounds stupid but in the book there is a lot of realtionship stuff and I don’t want them to tease me. But there is no way I can publish it without them reading it. Should I wait until i’m 18 to publish them?
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Phyllis replied:
When new writers begin to be published, editors usually don’t let them have much, if any, say about the cover. But if you establish a good sales record with a company and they publish more and more of your books, you will have more influence over the cover. The editor writes what goes on the fly-leaf at the front of the book; the author generally writes what appears on the inside leaf at the back. The publisher determines what will go on the very back of the book. Regarding publishing your book, are you talking about self-publishing–paying to have it printed up yourself? Because that costs thousands of dollars. If you are considering sending your manuscript in to a publisher and having them pay you for it, I think I would first concentrate on writing the very best book that you can and getting it accepted. Then it will be time to think about what you do or don’t want your parents to read.
Posted on: December 2, 2009
Question:
how do u know when the series is over what if u decide u dont want it 2 b over but u said it will b over i would like to know how do u know if u want the alicce series to be over and i heard u allready wrote the last book and when is the next book after Intensely Alice????
Phyllis replied:
I know it will be over after the 28th book, because I already wrote it, so I know what will happen. But you won’t know until the book is published in 2013. The next book after “Intensely Alice” is “Alice in Charge,” and will be published next June.
Posted on: November 26, 2009
Question:
I know you’re not a doctor, but I don’t have anyone else to ask. Is it really normal for a girl to have labia minora that protrude from their outer lips? What if it protrudes an inch?
Phyllis replied:
I think I’m going to deal with this in a future Alice book because I get asked this question a lot. Whether the labia minora (the inner lips at the opening of your vagina) protrudes from the outer lips (the labia majora) or doesn’t protrude at all is just one of the many variations of a girl’s sexual parts, and it doesn’t make one bit of difference. There is nothing abnormal whether you can’t see the inner lips at all or the lips are very prominent. I have heard of both variations being considered sexy by different men. Remember girls, it’s the WHOLE girl that appeals to a guy, not just some small part.
Posted on: November 25, 2009
Question:
I absolutely LOVE your Alice books! I can’t imagine how I survived middle school before I stumbled upon the pre-quels at the library. Whenever I get a new one, I have it read before the next morning! I find myself laughing outrageously when I re-read a funny part in one of the books, and my sister looks at me like I’m certifiably crazy. My questions for you are: Do you think you will miss the Alice books when you are finished writing them, do you ever think you will go back to writing the Alice series after you finish, and would you ever write about Alice’s kids(if she has any)? As far as the last question goes, I mean sort of a final ending or even a last chapter of a book when you sort of talk about Alice’s kids and maybe them meeting up with some of Liz, Pam, and Gwen’s kids(if they have any) if they don’t already know each other. It’s just a thought, but I think it would be a nice ending. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter; you are the author that I look up to the most. I look forward to your response.
Phyllis replied:
Yes, for sure I will miss her. But there are so many other books I want to write. At the moment there are three new plots swirling around in my head, and there is never enough time to write all that I want. But as I’ve explained before to readers, the very last Alice book in the series, which will be #28, will take Alice from age 18 to age 60. Each chapter will leap ahead in her life to the next big event, and I think all your questions will be answered.
Posted on: November 25, 2009
Question:
I am a big enormous fan of Alice books!!I love them and the ones I have read are: Starting with Alice, Lovingly Alice,Alice in the Know,The Grooming of Alice,Alice on the Outside,Patiently Alice,the Agony of Alice,Including Alice,Alice the Brave,Alice in Rapture Sort Of,Alice Alone.I am about to read Achingly Alice aNd Simply Alice.Also Alice on Her Way.I loooove to read and my favorite series are Nancy Drew mysteries and your series the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.Can I have a complete list of the Alice series in order please?My library doesn’t have all of them and I’d like to know the names so I can find them.Thanks.And please reply as soon as you can.
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Phyllis replied:
Go to www.alicemckinley.com and click on “Books in Order” at the top of the page.
Posted on: November 25, 2009
| Question:
hi well im from texas an i was just wondering something…ok i went out with this guy for the first time last year and i broke up with my then boyfriend of one year for this guy and he broke up with me then we went out again last january an he broke up with me once again in march..he is now going out with this other girl and i get so jealous because i still like him… idk what to do…should i try to get over him..? sometimes i feel he still likes me he even messages me still…what do you think i should do..? |
Phyllis replied:
I don’t know what you should do, but I know that I wouldn’t want to waste any more time on a guy who broke up with me twice. But chances are, if he’s an on-again, off-again kind of guy, he’ll break up with this girl too and perhaps come back to you, and you can go through the cycle all over again.
Posted on: November 25, 2009
Question:
i no ive complained be4 about not being allowed to do somthing and its probobly getting annoying but plz write back this is important.(to me anyway) ok youve probobly heard of the twilight series by stephanie meyer. the first and second book twilight and new moon were turned into movies and they’re making the other two into movies as well. new moon just came out in theaters. and i really want to read the series and watch the movies really badly. except the movies are rated pg13 and my parents wont let me read or see the movie until im thirteen years old. i really wish i was thirteen because lots of kids in my class have either read the series, seen the movies or read and seen it and they say its really good.i no you’ll probobly say i should enjoy being younger while i can but i cannot wait two whole years to read that book! what should i do mrs.naylor plz help.
Phyllis replied:
Yes you can. I realize you have written to me at least three times asking me to intervene somehow and persuade your mom to let you do something for which she feels you’re too young. One way to show your mom you are growing up and are more mature is to learn to sit down and calmly discuss your problems with her instead of asking someone else to help. I don’t mind helping people when I can, but I don’t live in your house, I don’t know the rules, and the fact is that as long as you are under her roof, she makes the rules.
Posted on: November 25, 2009
Question:
i have a huge problem. there is this acting/singing
company called john and rober powers. in it u can go
get an audition and if they like u u get in. if u get in u
get a personal trainer and they put u in commercials
and movies/tv shows. u probobly wont know who this
is because she stars on a kids program but there is an
actor named brenda song and she is very famous and
that was because she was in that program. she was a
graduate. i wanted to audition sooooooooooo bad
because people tell me im good at singing an acting
but my mother wont let me. she says she thinks that
kids shouldnt work soo she said an abosolout no.
this makes me feel horrible because i really wanted
to do it and my friend tried it and she got in. i am
soooooooo upset what should i do?
Phyllis replied:
Listen to your mom. I don’t know anything about this
company, but if they provide a personal trainer and get
you into commercials and movies, then a person needs
a LOT of talent to get in and/or there is a big fee for
entering the program. If you are really, really good at
singing and acting, then try out for plays and musicals
at your school and work your way up. You mom is right;
being a professional singer and actress is work.
Posted on: November 22, 2009
Question:
Before I pour out my troubles that I’m very sorry to have you to answer all of them,I would just like to say how much I am so grateful for those Alice books you’ve wrote and without them, I will be really bored and left with nothing to do.So it’s all thanks to you,Phyllis!THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Okay,here is my trouble.I am new in an International school,and so far I am getting along well with my friends.But since I am new,my form tutor asked 2 classmates to guide me through the school as I am new and there will be loads of shock I will find in the school which I will have to take time to sink in to.Anyway,these 2 classmates are best friends together eventually,and Classmate A is very nice and hardworking,and we got along well.But Classmate B is really ..you know…unbelievably horrible to me.
The fact that she is very horrible to me is that because she finds that she felt jealous and she is always looking down on me because I am very pretty and beautiful(everybody says so and I am trying not to boast),adding on that I am very tough since I come from a school which makes its pupils strong,tough and hardworking,and the teachers always like me because I am hardworking and keen to learn,plus I am more poorer that her .As I said so,she was really really jealous of me,but she always look down on me too.Every time,she insult me for being poor or something else,I usually ignore and forget about it by brushing off or match her mood like”Yeah,I know,it sucks to be poor”.And this made her even more unsatisfied and angry .So as each day went by,she spreaded rumours and horrible facts about me and everybody thinks that I am absolutely poor and cheap by now.I feel so sad,but when I try to make peace by talking to her,she just shoots me an evil look and walk away.She also filps her hair like a model(it’s so dirty,she never washes it),paint her fingernails and try to act cool and flirty.She even mentioned to me that she and my other friends are throwing a surpirse b’day party for Classmate A and how good is it to be without me because I am an idiot.What should I do?I don’t even know what is wrong with me!
Phyllis replied:
Other than starting out on the wrong foot, you mean? Seems to me as though there’s an attitude problem on both sides. I doubt that she has said outright that she is jealous of you, but the fact that you see her that way (with dirty hair, no less), and see yourself as beautiful, tough, strong, hardworking, and a favorite of teachers is bound to show in what you say and do, whether you think so or not. This girl may also see you as a threat who might become between her and her best friend. Things have probably gone on too long for them to resolve themselves on their own. You need to swallow your pride a bit and humble yourself enough to say to girl B, at a time you have a few minutes to talk, “Look. I think that you and I started out on the wrong foot when I first came here, and I’d really like to make peace with you. Do you think we could bury the hatchet and start over?” Be calm and sincere. She’ll probably go huffing away, but the fact that you have apologized and extended the peace flag will at least stick in her head. Continue to be polite to her, as though any minute you expect her to change and are willing to wait. When she says something nasty, say, “Why did you say that?” If nothing else, it will force her to reexamine her own motives. Good luck.
Posted on: November 21, 2009
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