Guestbook
On March 6, I began a coast-to-coast, fourteen-state tour for THE DEAD OF NIGHT. After nearly two months, I’m finally winding down. I invite you to read my blog posts, via the links at the top of 1000640http://www.the39clues.com/messageboard/show/16172this page. Complete schedule is here. If you haven’t read the book yet, here’s 1000640http://bit.ly/AnRnlGa sneak peek of Chapter 1.
Please click the “Add Guestbook Entry” link below. Please note ♦♦ I cannot reveal any 39 Clues spoilers, no matter how beautifully you ask — sorry! This includes anything about Amy, Ian, Evan, etc. ♦♦ Thanks!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 08:19:53 PM
On the page next to page 1 in The Dead Of Night, it says This book is dedicated to het snoper how anc loves eth deco. What actually is snoper, because I have already decoded the rest?
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 12:38:54 PM
Hi, Carlos! Keep trying on that one. It’s not as hard as you think. You’ll get it! (Look at the last three letters first.)
1.How did you feel when Scholastic asked you to write The Sword Theif for The 39 Clues?
2. Have you heard of Neely Tucker, the author of Love in the Driest Season: A Family Memoir?
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 12:21:44 AM
Hi, Ariel! It felt great, but like all projects just starting, a bit scary. None of us knew how it would work out. And no, I haven’t heard of that author, but I’ll be sure to look him up on your recommendation.
Question: On page 129 in The Dead of Night (and a few pages before) the three men in the white suits come in and give Alistair cardboard and a note. One of the men has a camera. Fiske says “Is this some sort of joke?” and Alistair replies “I don’t think so,” Is Alistair figuring out why he had to writ the note or he is just saying that? I got confused on that one. Obviously the vespers didn’t tell Alistair that Amy and Dan picked him. Sneaky people I must say.
Sincerely,
Monica.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 12:07:30 AM
Hi, Monica! Fiske is asking this because the guard just took out a camera and asked them all to say cheese. This seemed like a strange thing for a guard to ask prisoners in a cell under the circumstances.
This book has action! Dan and Amy are really in action. I’ve been thinking if you could add some things to it like if Alistair went and attacked Ian and Natalie or something otherwise, this book is AWESOME! because it has my favorite thing SWORDS! and Ninjas! It’s really cool how to keep on going underground!
Sincerely,
Omar R. Mohammed
Monday, May 14, 2012 at 02:54:53 PM
Hello, Omar! Thank you very much. I’m really glad you enjoyed THE SWORD THIEF!
Monday, May 14, 2012 at 12:11:15 PM
Hello, Nick! My best advice to you is to submit an entry to a writing contest, for example 1000640http://www.artandwriting.org/Awardsthe Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. That’s a good way to be sure someone will actually read and evaluate your piece. If you mail a story directly to a publisher, it’s likely not to be seen. Don’t forget, they are up to their ears in manuscripts submitted by agents and writers every day!
Hey its me! Remember me, Amazingable44 from the 39 clues MB?? Anyway you’re an awesome author and I loooooooooove Dead of Night!!! Can you give me any advice to be a writer?
Thank you!
Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 09:38:23 PM
Hello, Aaminah (or Amazingable44)! Thanks so much for your message. I’m pleased you enjoyed THE DEAD OF NIGHT. Many people ask me for advice and I usually make sure to say what a great thing it is to be starting so young. You have lots of time, to read, read, read. That’s the best way to become a writer. Read as much as you can. Read what you love. Try to figure out what your favorite authors do to make their books so vivid. What kind of words do they use? What words do they leave out? Every good story has a question that is not answered until the end. What is the question in your story? Try writing a story from beginning to end. It’s a great feeling to finish a story. You may want to show some of your stories to your teacher, or you may want to keep some stories to yourself. The important thing is to keep enjoying it and keep doing it. There are no shortcuts to being a writer. You need to keep doing it, and you will get better and better. Good luck!
Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 01:38:08 AM
Hello, Nina! I had a great time at Totoket, and thank you for your kind words. For adventure with some magic, I’d recommend the ARTEMIS FOWL series, GREGOR THE OVERLANDER, CHARLIE BONE, the BARTIMAEUS trilogy, anything by Brandon Mull, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER and its sequels. But my very best advice is to go straight to the public library or the school library and ask the librarian for some recommendations. What I often like to do is go to a book store or library, browse through the shelves, and get a stack of books. I put them on a table and look through them all. If I like them, I’ll buy them. Or if I’m short on cash, I’ll write the titles down and take them out of the library. Hope this helps!
Can you sugest some books for me? The kind of books I like is SCFI and action/adventure.
Wednesday, May 09, 2012 at 10:57:40 PM
Hello, Primrose! The best lists of scifi books, I think, are 1000640http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/favorites/by_genre/science_fic.htmlhere and 1000640http://flavorwire.com/256394/10-great-science-fiction-books-for-girls#1here . But I also love all books by Bruce Coville because they’re so imaginative and funny. And as I was growing up, I read everything that Ray Bradbury wrote. As far as action/adventure goes, I like all of Rick Riordan’s books, and Gordon Korman’s ON THE RUN series. Also, look into Lloyd Alexander’s books, which are awesome.
Wednesday, May 09, 2012 at 08:57:39 PM
That’s pretty much the way I was, too — always with my nose in a book. But it turned out OK! And it will for you, too.
Um …