Your Questions Answered

TO MY READERS

A note from Phyllis:

There are dozens of email messages from readers waiting to be answered, but I’m having trouble with my website right now, so am unable to get to these messages.  I’m sorry I couldn’t answer all your questions before the holidays, but as soon as my website is working again, I’ll answer as many as I can.

What other books would I like?

Comment:

Have you written other books I would like?

Phyllis replied:

I think you would enjoy the four cat-pack books.  Look them up on my website.  You would also like the boys/versus/girls books.  Begin with The Boys Start the War and The Girls Get Even.

Jade Green

Comment

I was wondering about this, but were there times that your books had been optioned as film projects but were never made, but I was wondering if Jade Green was ever optioned as a film project to a studio or was it left alone. Because though I don’t have enough money to license an option as a film, but also you’d be surprised that I found this book when I (still currently) volunteer at Five Oaks Middle School, there were free books and I looked at them and looked at this book that I thought wanting to read but after finishing reading a book, I felt I should adapt it into a screenplay that remains of what is written from the mind of the author. I tried to adapt John Saul’s Creature, it failed because I couldn’t do it justice as I was writing a draft with the use of Richard Matheson’s screenplay and the Saul novel, it was a mess, I couldn’t do justice. But when I found Jade Green at Five Oaks, that it was deleted from the library, I found the synopsis to be very interesting and promising. I always look for books that been published in the past decades, I always been interested in it that it would have a feeling that I would like to adapt it as a screenplay that it would remain true to what the author had in mind, not creatively do my own thing and cut things, I hated that. There’s a script of The Witching Hour with Anne Rice’s name on it that it’s circulating online and I don’t trust it because I rather go deep and find the original screenplay that I found that had been sold on a auction which was way longer than the one online that was said to be 120-something pages, but I think with an author’s way to write a screenplay, I assume to think the pages may be longer in their early draft. That’s just me. But I wish somewhere I can write a screenplay when I get a chance to read the book from start to finish, even though I don’t have a lot of money to option the book for a feature film. I hope I’m not wasting your time with my long paragraph of wondering if I can write a screenplay based on the novel of Jade Green: A Ghost Story.

Phyllis replied:

I’m glad you liked the book so much.  Often options are taken on some of my books for a screenplay, but never become a movie.  I don’t write screenplays myself or handle the business part of my writing.  But I’m sure my agent would not give you permission to write a screenplay of Jade Green without your taking an option on it–someone else might come along to pay for an option, and then you would be out all that work.  Keep working on your own writing skills and take some courses in screen writing. All writers have to start somewhere and I wish you a lot of luck.

Will the Cat Pack books be available as ebooks?

Comment:

I’m emailing just to ask if you have plans to make your Cat Pack books available as ebooks. I love those books as a kid (as well as Shiloh) and was just curious if they would be ebooks soon.

Thank you for your time and sharing your stories with your fans 🙂

Phyllis replied:

I don’t have any control over that, but I’m forwarding your email to my editor.

Major accomplishments

Comment:

May I please have some major accomplishments in your lifetime?

Phyllis replied:

This sounds like a question you need for a book report.  People have different ideas about what an accomplishment is.  My first thought is that my husband and I successfully raised two fine sons, except that our boys themselves take a great deal of the credit.  But I feel very good about the way they turned out and are raising their own children.  I also feel good that I found work–my writing–that is meaningful to me, and helps me feel that I am making a contribution in my own small way to society.

Witch books

Comment:

Just a quick message to send my undying thanks to Ms Naylor. Your witch series is indelibly seared in my young girl’s psyche and I will never forget the stories or their impact. 40 year after reading them, just told a new adult friend to go read them. You have a created a lasting legacy.

Phyllis replied:

I’m so glad you enjoyed them.  I scared myself silly in writing them, especially the second book, “Witch Water.”  The scene in Mouse’s room when her dad’s away, and the cats and crows start scratching at the windows….   I remember that I always backed my chair up against the wall when I was writing those books, because I knew if anyone walked behind me and touched my shoulder, I’d leap out of my skin.  I hope you were able to read all six in the series.

Events?

Question:

Do you ever do book signing events or any events in general? I am such a fan I’d try to travel for this if you do.

Phyllis replied:

I don’t do many book signing events now–am in the midst of writing a very long novel for adults, but thanks for asking.

Blizzard’s Wake

Comment:

Where can I get a new copy of your novel Blizzards wake really like it

Phyllis replied:

That was an interesting book to write because there was so much suspense.  Go to Amazon and you’ll find it in the books listings–paperback copies are available from a number of different booksellers.

Mailing address

Comment:

Hello!! My daughter is frantically reading all of your Boys vs Girls books. She would line to write you a letter (one of her favorite pasttimes is writing of course!!). Do you have a mailing address? Thank you!

Phyllis replied:

She may write to me at 401 Russell Avenue, Apt. 713, Gaithersburg, MD  20817

 

the grand escape

Comment:

I love the grand escape with marco and pollo. I read it and it was the best.

Phyllis replied:

I’m so glad you discovered the “Cat Pack” quartet.  I hope you will enjoy the all the books:  The Grand Escape, The Healing of Texas Jake, Polo’s Mother and Carlotta’s Kittens.