Alice Blog

What Can I Do?

Question:

Hi, Mrs. Naylor. I used to write to you all the time when I was younger.  I have loved your Alice books since I was 10 years old. I just turned 20 last month. I used to write to you about all my boy problems, friends who were distancing from me, and, of course, my parents who could just never understand me like you did. 🙂 You literally got me through the entire portion of my life that had me figuring out who I was, what my place in life was, and who I was destined to be. You and your Alice books, that is. Without your fan mail section, I don’t know what I would have done from ages 11 to 14. For being my guide through that confusing time in every girls life, I want to say thank you.

My senior year of high school, I had SO much motivation. I was going to classes during the day, my after school job, dual enrollment college classes at night, and still found time to go to church three times a week. I was a busy girl, with no social life. I wasn’t allowed to date, or have friends outside of my small church anyway. So, it was probably a good thing that I was so busy. I ended up graduating a semester ahead of my class, and moved out of my parent’s house at 17. Because I had gone all this time without any social life whatsoever, and I moved to a college town 55 miles away from my parents that is notorious for partying, I figured I’d take a semester off. I had my own place with one of my older girlfriends as a roommate, and whenever I wasn’t working, I could do whatever and go wherever I pleased. I was a big change from what I was used to.

I quickly made friends at my new job, and through my roommate and got a boyfriend, literally, the first week I was here. Besides maybe two boyfriends, which I had to hide from my mother, my junior and senior years of high school, that lasted maybe a month each, this was my first serious relationship. My boyfriend and I eventually moved in together, he proposed, we got married, and this September we will celebrate our first wedding anniversary and three years of being together. Crazy how time flies, right? We’ve even bought our first house, and are in the process of deciding when we will have our first child. I sometimes regret settling down so quickly, but in the long run, I’m glad I did. I’m crazy in love with this man and am very excited to see what our future holds!

Which brings me to the problem. Since we have bought our house and settled in, it definitely requires both of our incomes to pay the bills. Neither of us have been to college, and I desperately want to obtain a degree before I start having children. Our jobs are both overnight, and I just can’t see myself working from 10 pm to 7 am, then going to classes all day… I would never get any sleep! I feel like I never get sleep as it is. And the degree that I’m wanting to go for is a two year program that basically has the schedule of 8-5. I just don’t know what to do and I’d like your opinion. How can I be a full time student and hold a full time job at the same time? I’d rather not get a new job, because this one has all of the benefits that I need. And if I leave and come back, I’ll have to work my way back up the ladder to get those benefits. I’ve tried to look into federal assistance but there must be something I’m missing. We just barely make too much for food stamps. I’m sure I would qualify for student loans and scholarships, but if I cut my hours down at work, we would need monetary assistance to pay our bills. What do you think I should do?

Phyllis replied:

I’ve printed your long letter here because I think many of my readers will see themselves in it.  Sometimes when we are forbidden to do something, we rush into hasty decisions the minute we get our freedom.  Sometimes these decisions turn out to be good ones, sometimes not.  Nevertheless, you have been married a year (Congratulations!) and report that you are happy.  You are both sharing the burden of your decision to buy a house, and again, congratulations on both of you being responsible.  Now, what to do next?

Since you opted to buy a house instead of renting an apartment, we need to deal with things as they are.  Yes, you need full time work in order to pay your mortgage and to keep your benefits–health and retirement.  And no, it’s neither possible nor wise to work full time at night and go to school full time in the day.  So…the choice that’s left, as I see it, is to take courses one or two at a time.  The downside is that it will take longer to get the degree, and it will take time away from your marriage, and this is important too.  You can’t give up the necessary ongoing work to keep love and marriage alive simply to live in a house and go to school.  So it’s time for a calm, honest discussion with each other.  Who most wants to go back to school and get a degree?  What is the minimum amount of time you need to be helpful and supportive to each other each week?  If one year, one of you takes on an extra burden (of working overtime or doing household chores), can the other person take over the next year?  Can you alternate, or is it best for one person to graduate first?  You need to discuss these things lovingly with each other before you think of bringing children into the equation.
But many couples have faced similar obstacles and worked out a solution, and I’m sure that you can also.  It was wonderful hearing from you.

Questions

Question:

I want to thank you so much for entertaining me with Alice for, what feels like, my entire growing-up experience (well, that’s not exactly true, I probably wont be grown up until I’m dead). I think that being able to write the entire life story of one character has to be one of the most extraordinary challenges a writer can ever take on. It’s a wonderful accomplishment for you, writing the Alice series so incredibly well, and a privilege for the rest of us to be able to read. I think I can speak for everyone when I say thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Now, onto business. Seeing as how we are going to have to wait a little while longer for the final book (which, by the way, is killing me. If the date gets pushed back one more time I’ll probably have to be put on oxygen), I was hoping you could tide us over by answering a few questions.

First, Alice has always been set in the present. Taking her from age eighteen to sixty will definitely make the book travel far into the future. Can you tell us a little about how you’ve portrayed the future? Have you kept everything about the way it is now, or have you included some things that you believe there will be in forty-two years? Flying cars? Super Intelligent Computers? Spaceships? Anything?

Second, can you tell us anything about the new cover? I just checked Amazon and didn’t see it yet. When will it be up?

Third, could you give your readers any sort of extra sneak peak? Could you give us a sentence? Another clue, like your last one (which was “Okalahoma”)? Pretty-please, with sugar and ice cream and a cherry on top?  If you could answer my questions, and possibly post it on the Alice blog, I’m sure a lot of people would appreciate it. I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering these things!! A trillion thanks.

Phyllis replied:

All of the  Alice books were written as though they are happening now.  To be able to feel with Alice, you need to be able to identify with her.  The early books, of course, made no mention of cell phones and emails because they weren’t common then, though I later introduced them.  So Alice at age 60 lives in the same time as this one, and that’s simply something you’ll have to accept.  I have the feeling it won’t bother you at all.  I sent off the final corrections just this morning.  I imagine the new cover will be up fairly soon.  They are still tinkering with Alice’s hair color.  But I won’t give any more hints.  I wouldn’t want to ruin the suspense!

From Germany

Question:

I can’t believe how much the Alice series influenced my whole life. I am from Germany and I started reading the Alice books when I was seven, now I’m almost seventeen, next year I’m going to finish school… Now remembering me, reading the Alice books and thinking I would never come out of school, it is a really strange feeling. You can’t imagine how much I owe to you. It is like Alice grew up with me, helped me… when my first boyfriend broke up with me, I read the book where Patrick leaves Alice. Alice comforted me.
To me, the Alice books are my childhood. I could flee to them when I was sad, Alice always chaperoned me. With this mail, I just want to thank you so much. Just, unbelievable much. I think, it also due to you, that I am now that close with my best friend. We had a lot of problems in the past (her parents divorced, school grades, self harm…), but when we found out, that there are more books after Intensely Alice, we couldn’t stop ourselves from crying and laughing at the same time. Alice means past to us, remembering the good things and all the problems you had to survive. I am full of gratefulness.

Phyllis replied:

It was so good of you to write to me.  I’m going to forward your email to my editor.  It will make her happy too.

Alice Books in French

Question:

I’m a french student, and when I was 12, a friend offered me one of your translated book. In France, they are only 4 and I bought all of them. Recently, I really wanted to read about Alice’s life and I was glad to know that I’m still having fun reading them… So, first of all, I want to congratulate you. Your books are interesting, they touch on a lot of topics, they are mostly written for young people (especially the ones which are translated in French), but I can still enjoy reading them. When I was 12, I really felt related to Alice, whereas the fact that I’m French (so we don’t have the same culture or the same education system). Today, I’m just curious about what happened to her. And now that my English is better, I want to read them the way you wrote them, so I was wondering where I can get all of your books? Maybe there is an internet site? Or maybe I can find them in England?  Thank you for these books. Even if I only read 4 of them, they hit me.

Phyllis replied:

You can find them on the Internet by going to Amazon or the Barnes and Noble website.  I think you’ll find that you like them even better in their original language.

Alice Upside Down

Question:

IM WATCHING ALICE UPSIDE DOWN ON NETFLIX!!!!! IT’S SO GOOD!!! THEY SHOULD MAKE EPISODES!!!!! ANYYYYYYWHOOOOO!!!!!!! I HOPE U KEEP WRITING MORE BOOKS!!!!!

Phyllis replied:

Many people love that movie.  “Alice Upside Down” is loosely based on “The Agony of Alice.”  You’ll recognize many of the characters, though some have been changed completely from the way they were in the book.  If you approach the movie as its own thing, not just a copy of the book, you can enjoy it much more, and obviously you are able to do this.

Why Can’t We Talk About It?

Question:

I know u r getting a ton of messages about the new Alice book. Some great some mean. But I <3 this series a whole lot :3). I am a 13 year old girl who is moving to Orlando, Florida in August. My mom is pregnant… Again. I have a 2 year old sis. And a 15 year old brother. And everyone is giving me and my family a hard time about moving. We aren’t even allowed to talk about it in front of my aunt. She is way to close to my sibs. It is very weird. How can I tell my aunt to shut up & face the music??? But kind of nicely. :/ l8r

Phyllis replied:

There is obviously a lot of emotion connected to this move, and if anyone needs to discuss it with your aunt, it’s one of your parents.  Holding feelings in, however, is both hard and harmful for everyone.  The more everyone can understand the why of things, and talk about what’s going to happen when you get there, the easier the move will be.

Books are Amazing!

Dear Mrs.Naylor,

I just wanted to tell you that your books are AMAZING! Most of the realistic fiction books I used to read were unrealistic and the main character was all perfect. Alice feels like a genuine person from the mistakes she makes, the rude things she says, her embarrassing moments and her emotions. Shes like the friend I never had. Thank you so much for writing these books, I read them over and over again and every time its great. Sincerely, A very thankful reader P.S. I happened to have just checked out two of the Alice books from the library, Achingly Alice and Outrageously Alice.

Phyllis replied:

This is probably the comment I hear the most–that Alice is so real.  I appreciate this very much, and thank you for writing to me.

Change in Pub Date for Alice

Question:

I have had the final book pre-ordered on amazon for quite some time but recently noticed the release date has been pushed back to October?  Is this correct?  I’m 22 and I’ve been reading these since the 3rd grade.  I’ve grown up with Alice so I can’t help but feel a little disappointed for having to wait even longer.

Phyllis replied:

I share your frustration.  Yes, almost every Alice book to date has come out in the spring, but this time, because it’s twice as long and needed far more editing and checking and revising, the publisher decided to postpone the book to August 27th.  But recently, a glitch in the editing process and a change of cover design–meaning a new photo shoot–have unavoidably delayed publication.  It may reach your bookstore a little sooner, so it’s quite possible that those who have pre-ordered it will receive it earlier than October 15th.

Will There be a New Bind-Up?

Question:

Will you be combining the three most recent books like you have for the past several?

Phyllis replied:

Yes, and it is already on the market.  “You and Me and the Space In Between” is a large paperback containing the three books of Alice’s senior year:  “Alice in Charge,” “Incredibly Alice,” and “Alice on Board.”   Enjoy!

Alice and Anne

Question:

Before really hitting my teen years, I felt like Anne Shirley of Anne of  Green Gables was me.  She was the imaginative, romantic writer that I longed to be, and I would well up if she shared a romantic moment with her love Gilbert or have a touching moment with her friend Diana.

I still love the Anne series with all my heart, but I feel so glad that Alice is here to be the literary spokesperson of my teenage years.  She has a tight friendship with Liz and Pamela like I do with my friends and she is realizing herself.  When she has self-realizations or questions, I totally relate to her and my heart is right where she is (It’s fitting Alice wants to be a psychologist, because that’s what she can feel like).  I understand her flaws and I love her for her triumphs.

I would have to say my favorite character, other than Alice, is Lester.  I feel like Lester is beside me, talking to me when he has moments with Alice.  When those moments do occur, I well up in a similar fashion as I do with the Anne series.  I love Alice’s family and wish they existed.

Thank  you for writing such a good series and giving me friends to share my teenage years with.  When I’m not with my real friends, I love hanging out with Pamela, Liz, Lester, Patrick and Alice.  Although I don’t agree with everything Alice does, I love seeing her grow up.

Phyllis replied:

I must admit that Lester is probably my favorite character too, next to Alice.  I had the most fun writing the dialogue between the two, whenever they had one of their famous discussions.  I’m so glad that this series meant a lot to you.