Alice Blog

Hello & Question regarding the Alice series

Hello Phyllis!

I hope you and your loved ones are well staying safe and healthy during these unprecedented times.

I am a big fan of your work, and am especially fond of your Alice series! Growing up, I was never read to much and though I did well with reading in school, I was never a big fan of it until, I came across your books when I was a preteen. Your Alice series intrigued me and resonated with me. Most importantly, your series inspired me to read more and I cannot thank you enough for that!

I am now in my mid twenties and would love to purchase every single Alice book and noticed, that you sell the books as a collection – which is awesome! However, I do not know if it’s me who is missing something but, are books such as Alice Alone, Simply Alice, Patiently Alice, etc. the ones with the model on the front, not part of the collection? I would love to be able to finally own all of the books to not only re-read myself but, to share with my future children and or the young girls I care for.

P.S. – I still have the Patiently Alice poster you autographed for me when I was in middle school. Thank you again for your kindness & generosity!

 

I was so happy when the publisher finally republished the entire Alice collection in paperback.  So many fans had asked for it.  If you buy all three sets–Alice in elementary school, Alice in middle school, and Alice in high school and beyond–you will have every single Alice book I wrote.  The covers are all different, I believe, on the paperback collection, but the titles are the same, and you will have nice cardboard containers to keep the books in their right order.  Yes, the titles you mentioned are all there.  Enjoy!

Hello

Hiiiii I love the alice books I mean I’ve only read the first one but it has been really good

Then you have 27 more Alice books to enjoy!

The book cover

Who is the girl that represents Alice on the book cover

She’s  a model, but I don’t know her name.  Neither does the publisher.  When they select a model from an agency, they are given many photos of models to choose from, but they are all labeled with numbers, not names.

Just wanted to say thank you

I really just wanted to say “thank you” for the Alice series. I read all the books they translated into German (the prequels plus book one to fourteen) in 5th and 6th grade; they were at the school library of the school I was visiting at that time. I went there at every possible opportunity and I really, really loved those books – I think I learned a lot from them about being a teenager and about life in general. I had a hard time adapting to others as a kid and didn’t really have any friends during that time, but remembering the books is just like talking to an old friend! I never found them somewhere else and for some reason, they don’t print the books in German anymore – but I recently bought the complete series secondhand and I plan on buying the missing books they didn’t translate into German. I already read the summaries online – I couldn’t help myself! – and I was happy to find out how some of the characters ended up. No spoilers here! I can’t wait to revisit Alice and her friends and family and to read the missing books.

Thank you a lot for the series!

 

I’m so glad you have the whole series.  I think that the German publisher stopped reprinting the books when Alice’s sexual thoughts and feelings were part of the story.  Obviously you read and write English very well, so I wish you many happy hours with Alice!

a question?

i wanted to know if alice ends up with Patrick in the end .. ?

Do you really think I would tell you that?  The final book contains the answer.

a little advice

hello,
I was going through old alice blog posts (I always do this when I’m feeling a little nostalgic lol) and I saw that in the past people used to send you personal questions for advice. I thought that your answers were always so genuine so I thought I’d ask for some quick advice.

About a year ago, I ended a friendship with a girl because she was talking badly about me behind my back, among other reasons. We haven’t talked in months and I was so upset I even unadded her on social media. However, it’s been a long time and she’s broken up with her old boyfriend (who I think contributed to the end of the friendship).I intended to reach out to her again once summer was over, but my school is planning to go virtual this year. Do you think it’s a good idea to reach out online (via text/snapchat?) I’ve been trying to let go of this grudge for a while now but I’m not sure if trying to talk online is the best idea.

Thank you so much for reading this mess and it’s totally okay if you don’t’ want to respond, I know this blog is meant to be more alice-centered. Thank you for all you do. Your books are getting me through high school. 🙂

The Alice blog is whatever readers want it to be.  Regarding your former friend, I would always attempt to reach out.  You will regret it more if you don’t reach out and always wish you had, than if you reach out and she rejects you. At least you’ll always know you went that extra mile–you tried.  If it were me–and probably because I’m a writer–I would write a personal note and send it by US mail.  The only more personal way to contact her otherwise is a phone call, and that has more chance of ending badly.  If you would rather a private message online, that’s OK too.  But take the high road–explain why you were upset without sounding too accusatory and emphasize how much you miss her.  Best of luck.

Long time fan

I used to email regularly back in the early 2000’s. When I found The Alice books, they truly changed my life. The last one was released while I was pregnant with my third child. Just crazy how long these books have been in my life, how unforgettable I found them. My oldest daughter is nearing 11 and I cannot wait to introduce them to her. I just wanted to say thank you for all the literature you’ve put out and express how excited the books still make me at 30. 🙂

She’s at the perfect age for the Alice books.  If you want to start her at the very beginning, of course, it should be Starting with Alice, when Alice is in 3rd grade.  Readers find it lots of fun to go back and see what Lester was like at 15 in that book.  So many mothers tell me that they and their daughters read the Alice books aloud to each other, stopping to discuss things now and then.  Thanks so much for writing to me.   May you have many happy hours ahead!

I love Alice

I LOVE THE SERIES!!!!!!! I actually haven’t finished them but I’m close. It is super fun to read.I wish Alice was real sometimes. Some of her mistakes I made before and I like knowing I’m not the only one making foolish mistakes.What was Alice’s favorite year of school?

I’m not sure she would have a favorite year over favorite episodes.  I have the feeling that people tend to think that their senior year is going to be the absolute best.  It would be interesting to know how often that pans out.  This year, my heart is really with seniors all over the country who are facing a very different year than what they had hoped for.  I hope that they will find some way to make it special.

I’m passing Alice down

I have been reading the Alice series since I was the same age as my son is now, having finished the last book while he was a baby. I am so excited to pass them along to him, so that he may grow with the gang. Your books have guided me through every stage of my life since I was a child. After college I moved to the DC area and was pleased to find out that I knew some of the landmarks from your books! Reading Alice books has always made me feel secure and normal for a lack of a better explanation. You write characters so well that nearly thirty years later I still feel a little rush of second-hand embarrassment every time I see lucite 🙂 Thank you for all of your hard work, for understanding children so well and for sharing Alice with the world.

Oh, I had forgotten the gift made of plastic, and laughed out loud. I’m just delighted that you are introducing your son to the Alice books.  I remember a book signing somewhere in which three boys, around twelve, came up to my table–the middle boy carrying seven or eight of the Alice books, all of them grinning.  “Wow,”  I said.  “You guys must really like these books.”   They nodded, and the guy carrying the bundle said, “We learn about girls this way.”  Here’s a hug for your son.

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…