Guestbook « Peter Lerangis

Katie wrote on October 16, 2016 at 4:00 AM

Hello! A friend of mine and I are currently writing a book together and were wondering how the process of publication works. The two of us are 13 years old, and are creating a science fiction series (estimated to be around 300 pages each, probably 3 books, but you never know when the writing bug will strike!) Our other option was to enter a literary contest. Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Happy writing! Katie and Brandy

Admin Reply:

Hello Katie! I think entering a contest is a great idea. Have you thought about the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards? Best of luck with your series.

mau sanchez wrote on October 13, 2016 at 3:13 AM

hi,
i was here toay when you gave a talk with my generation here in mexico, i want to thank you for inspireing me to write a book that hopefully i will one day publish called "The Forgoten" its about a french soldier lost in ww1 it has some horror and mistery to it, can you give me your oppinion on it?
ps. im 14
thanks

Admin Reply:

Hello, Mau! Visiting your school was a great honor and pleasure for me. Thanks for the warm welcome. I think your title and concept sound amazing and I think you are on to something that could be a unique story. Good luck to you!

Shawna wrote on September 29, 2016 at 12:48 AM

I know that you haven't written for The 39 Clues in a while (your books were some of the best in that series, by the way.) But since the last book just came out I was wondering if you could tell us some of the character's birthdays (Amy, Dan, Nellie, Saladin, Evan, Jake, Atticus, Ian, Natalie, Alistair, Hamilton, Reagan, Madison, Jonah, Phoenix, etc.) Thanks for taking the time to read this - I really appreciate it.

Admin Reply:

Hi, Shawna! Yeeps, I don’t know, but I have a query in to Cahill HQ, and I will see what they say. Stayed tuned to this response, which I’ll edit if I find any answers.

Maryam wrote on September 25, 2016 at 5:55 PM

Hi,
I sent you a message more than a month ago and havn't got a message back. It's only because I have seen every one else's messages and you replied to them on that day. You may be on tour, in that case, sorry for bothering you 🙂
Have a good life!
From Maryam

Admin Reply:

Hi, Maryam. I just responded to your earlier message. You’ll notice the so-called response date matches the day you wrote, which is of course incorrect. That’s because this guestbook module automatically returns the identical date on all replies, which is very frustrating. I don’t know how to fix that, alas....

Lithia wrote on September 21, 2016 at 10:02 AM

Hiya Peter!
So, I have just finished reading The Curse of the King and am now -barely- patiently waiting for The Legend of the Rift to arrive. In the mean time I thought I would come by and ask a few questions I've been pondering over for a while. It's been so long since I've check in on your Guestbook, so I wouldn't be surprised if you've answered them already.
First off, I absolutely adore Torquin. He's my second favourite character, Cass being my first. My question about Torq is, well, what's his deal? He is notorious for being quite large in size large with big, shoe-less feet and under-developed speech of sorts. The speech suggests, to me at least, that he's actually quite young. Maybe not as young as the Select, but not as old as most of the KI staff. Is it possible that he has Giantism Syndrome..?
Random scenario: Jack and his friends are able to contact you through your Guestbook. What do you think each Select would want to say to you?
Lastly, if your thirteen-year-old self was a Select, what would your "superpower" be?
Thank you, hope your happy and well 🙂

Admin Reply:

Hi, Lithia! I LOVE these questions! Thanks.

Yes, it’s possible he has that syndrome. It’s also possible he was raised in a different country, or was locked up in a dark room by very creepy people as he was growing up. He is just so strange. But lovable in his extreme way.
“It’s over already? Where’s my check?”
The ability to survive on nothing but chocolate.

Ellie Emmelhainz wrote on September 13, 2016 at 10:04 PM

Mr. Lerangis, You and Rick Riordan should get together and make a series of books! That would be super cool. Since you are my two favorite authors, and you write books kind of similar, it would probably be a huge hit!

Admin Reply:

Thank you, Ellie! Wouldn’t that be fun? Hmmmm, making a note to track that guy down …

Maryam wrote on August 25, 2016 at 9:30 AM

Dear Mr Lerangis, (or Peter, whichever you prefer), At the end of the series, we see that everything that's happened, has never happened. Jack texts Aly and that is where the series stops. I am just curious on what happens next. I know if an author recieves these kind of messages, the answer would be to use my imagination, but, I need to know that they did/ became something in the future that was worth all that 'hassle', (sorry, couldn't think of a better word!) If not everyone, hopefully just Aly. I feel as if I can relate to her more than anyone else as she is quite strong-headed on the outside, in a way that if she wants to do something, she does it (like calling her mum). She is also powerful, as she is constantly surrounded by the opposite gender, she doesn't doubt her capibility compared to theirs. If you got this message, and you are going to tell me about her future, please include information about her parents. I'm quite sure the books don't mention her dad so I was wondering what happened to him. Also, as everyone loves a little romance, if Aly and Jack have a possible future... i'm hoping! If you have read this, thank you for taking the time to. I just felt like I had to know about their future after everything they have done to survive it. I know it's the end of the seies, but it just ended when they started their lives. I am also in the middle of writing a first draft of a book, so if you have any tips on what a book must need or even how to publish it when I am done, or, if there is a chance for it to become successful. Any of those would be most appreciated. Thank you for giving me something to look forward to reading every year and it's reasonable to say I am quite sad it's ended! Thank you for reading my message, Maryam

Admin Reply:

Hello, Maryam! I am delighted (and honored) that a thoughtful reader/author such as you enjoyed the series so much. Sorry, but I had to block spoilers for other readers who haven’t reached the end yet. Still, you know and I know what you wrote, and I can only say I never really thought of continuing the series past the end. But I’ve been overwhelmed with the response to the finale and how connected readers feel to the characters, and I’ve been thinking about a further story for the first time. So let me cogitate, talk to my editor, and see what happens.... Thanks for the suggestion!
As for publishing a book, without knowing you or reading your work, it’s hard to know the right advice to give. For example, if you’re still in school my best advice would be to keep writing. You probably want to develop your craft rather than think about being published right now. It’s a competitive field and you’ve got to be as good as the very best writers even to get your foot in the door. Plus, you’ll need to be represented by an agent, and it takes a lot of time to develop those connections. The more you’ve written, the greater chance you’ll draw interest to yourself as a writer. You may want to think about entering a writing contest, like the Scholastic Writing Awards. If you’re college age or older, yes, you should start seeking out agents. One way to meet them is by joining SCBWI and going to some of their conventions, where you can meet tons of publishing people, attend seminars, and join a critique group. That’s pretty general, I know, but I hope it helps!
Best of luck to you!

Peyton Noreen wrote on August 23, 2016 at 4:52 AM

Yeah, It's me again. I've been really busy lately taking up random hobbies (ukulele, ice cream making, starting a YouTube channel). I'm really spontaneous that way, but somehow I still have time to do some writing every day.
I've been working on this sci-fi novella that's gonna be at least 20,000 words, and when I finish my various drafts and editing to the point where it's decent, (not perfect because perfection can never be reached in writing) I'm going to try to get it published on Tor.
So the reason I'm writing to you is because I have a viewpoint problem that I need another opinion on, and you seem like the most qualified person to give me this advice.
My main character is a brilliant scientist and inventor who was hired by an extremely secret organization. (illuminati not confirmed) When he started asking questions about what they're doing with his inventions they make him disappear. (not gonna go into all the details about that part because spoilers) But to say the least, they wipe his memory and ship him off to a high security prison.
The story starts with him having escaped somehow. (again, spoilers) My first person present tense narrative with a guy who has almost no idea who he is works out fine (with fourth wall breaking jokes and everything!) until I bring in a character from his past, which of course he doesn't remember.
Main character has major flashback, but something in his mind (spoilers) makes him forget it a minute later. I was originally going to have the main character overhear a conversation with the other two characters about what the main character's forgotten friend's side of the story was. (that sentence probably doesn't make any sense, I'm so sorry)
Now I'm thinking that I should maybe let the other characters share the spotlight for a chapter or two so the reader can see where they're coming from. On the other hand, if I left my story in first person present tense the whole novella with the main character struggling to remember who he is, it would be really hard to pull off, but in the end I would end up with a story and narrative insanely unique.
Although, my story would still be VERY unique (you have no idea, it's so crazy awesome and paradoxy) on it's own if I have more than one narrative.
So I'd like your opinion on the matter, and also if you think Tor is a good place to start out with publishing. (At the moment, just getting my work out there is all that matters to me)
Thank you soooo much. I appreciate any help you give.
Have a wonderful unbirthday, unless it's your actual birthday, in which case:
happy birthday!
-Peyton
(and if you were curious, my YouTube channel is Peytato Land)

Admin Reply:

Hi, Peyton! Well, seeing as I’ve been inexcusably absent from my answering duties in the month since you’ve written, maybe you’ve solved your problem already. But here goes anyway. One thing I could suggest, if you really want those extra POVs, would be to write your main character in a close-third-person style, where the author is using third person but adopting the character’s persona as if in first person. If you keep this style for all the characters, your voice will shift with each point of view to match the characters, you will have the flexibility of multiple voices, and you will retain the intimacy of first person. It’s not easy to pull off, and you have to be very careful to include signs to your reader that make it obvious whose POV you’re using, either in the text itself or by titling each chapter with the appropriate character name. If you do stick to first person, yes, you do limit yourself to the protagonist’s POV. But limits do provoke a writer to greater creativity. Sometimes in allowing yourself to be limited, it forces you to think of workarounds that make your story fresh and original. I think Tor is a fine place to start. One of my students from a writing workshop in 2014 just launched a book through Tor. And thanks for the birthday/unbirthday wishes! All best to you and your family.

Panoss wrote on July 26, 2016 at 6:29 PM

Hey Peter! How are you? Long time no see.
So I promised you I will review The Curse of the King after I read it. Just finished. Took me less than 2 days. I couldn't stop reading.
So, while the book doesn't start super strong, it is getting better and better as it is getting through the end.
Many unexpected twists, changes in some characters' attitudes, reveals, agony, mystery... and such a cliffhanger for ending! I'm not sure how this whole thing is going to end. I have high expectations for book 5.
However, it will probably release early 2017 here... so... I'll have to wait.
Great book Peter! Great job. I'm super excited to learn how the story ends. I mean... they have 4 loculi right now, so they need 3... and they'll have to find them in a single book? How is this possible?

Admin Reply:

Hi, Panoss! Sorry it took so long to reply. Delighted you liked Curse of the King. I hope you’ve been able to get a copy of Legend of the Rift. I think you’ll really enjoy it!

Audrey Mutscheller wrote on July 19, 2016 at 3:11 PM

Hi its me again! I sent you another message yesterday because I didn't see that you had answered, I would still love it if you answered that one too. Thanks sooooo much for your advice! I've been looking stuff up and haven't really found anything yet. I just recently drew an anime picture of Aly for you, I'll try to load it on here... I couldn't get it on here. I'm having some writers block right now... And I'm way to busy all the time! I'm trying to get it done but I'm at like chapter three... But it is the farthest I've wrote before, farther than my fan fiction stories. Thanks!
-Audrey

Admin Reply:

Hi again, Audrey! Sorry you couldn’t upload the image. By now, I’ve taken so long to answer I’ll bet you’ve made some good progress with the book. Hope it’s going well!

Audrey M. wrote on July 18, 2016 at 6:21 PM

Hey! Big fan! I have a few (or maybe like 100!) questions for you! I'll just ask a few for now. My dream is to act and I hope if you do get an offer for movies with your seven wonders books, and there are auditions, that you will have the time to send me a quick email or something so I can see about doing some auditions for Aly. Aly black is like literally me with dyed hair, and I'm not much of a computer geek. But how did you get an agent? And how did you find out about auditions? Also. I'm writing a book series called Dragons and Danger, I hope to get them out soon, and if I do I hope you could read them. I have characters but I need names! I need to make up four weirdly evil names, for my main bad guys... How did you come up with characters and names for them? I just took me and my friends in real life and created some people for my story. Were any of your characters based off of real life people? I'm really confused with my tense, like past, present, future, stuff like that, I just can't stay in one I accidentally keep switching it up! Did you have any of these problems? I enjoy books from Tui Sutherland, and Rick Riodern, but neither of them come to VA... Is there a way you could come to the Augusta County Library some time? when maybe we could talk in person? If you do come I will make sure I am there, if I'm not I would be on vacation or out of town, if I am there you will know for I will have a head band with fake cat ears. Hope to hear from you soon! -Audrey

Admin Reply:

Hi, Audrey! Thanks for writing, and sorry for taking so long to reply. OK, rolling up sleeves for your questions …

Well, there are no movie offers in the near future at least :cry:, so not much I can say about auditioning. As for getting an agent, finding out about auditions in general, Callsheet is your best bet (you can read about both the print and on-line versions here).
Good luck with Dragons and Danger! I like the title. I’m very intuitive about names. I go by sound quality. For example, my editor originally thought the hero of the Seven Wonders should be named Seth. Now, I think that’s an awesome name, but it’s also got a soft, sibilant sound and I thought our hero needed something more percussive and everyday-sounding — like Jack. I thought Aly suggested someone smart and no-nonsense, and it sounds like “ally.” Torquin came from someone I’d met named Torquil. I always loved that name, but it sounds too much like a nighttime cough medicine, so I changed the last letter. The "Tor" reminds me of the word “torpid,” which suggests a lumbering slowness, but “quin” gives the name a sharp, surprising quality. I may be the only person who thinks so, but that’s how I roll. The secret of the name “Bhegad” is in Book 5, but that came about in a different way. Sometimes I name characters after friends or family, but usually only minor characters. Anyway, my general suggestion would be to experiment with sounds and get a sense if the name fits the person.
Tense problems shouldn’t be too hard to fix. You do have to make up your mind whether you want to narrate your story in the past or present tense. One or the other. But if you slip up throughout your story, be sure to go back over it and make the tenses consistent, or else you’ll confuse your reader. (In the Seven Wonders series, I use past tense, but the dream sequences are in present tense. I make sure that the reader knows they’re a separate story line by indicating in the text that it’s a dream and by setting the text in italics.)
I am a big fan of Tui and Rick also, and they’re both super-nice people. I do enjoy visiting VA, and I’m intrigued by the cat ears! I was in Alexandria a few months ago for my Legend of the Rift tour. None of us authors have much say over where we go on a book tour, but I’m always happy to be invited directly. Any teacher or librarian can do that by clicking on my Author Visit link above.

Anthea wrote on July 16, 2016 at 1:24 AM

Hi Mr.Lerangis! It's me, Anthea again. Thank you so much for your advice on writing, it helped me very much! If you don't mind, I have a few more questions. How do you get published? And who should you show your writing to if you want to publish something? I'm in the middle of writing a novel, and I want to take it to the next level and try to get it published. Thanks!

Admin Reply:

Hi, Anthea! Sorry for taking so long to respond. Without knowing you or reading the book, I can only give you some general, honest words of advice. My best advice for young writers is not to worry about being published just yet. Your writing needs to be in the league of the great writers you admire, or better. That’s who you’ll be competing with. Spend your time writing, reading like crazy, improving your skills, living an interesting life. All of these are crucial to being a great writer. Let’s assume you are phenomenally excellent. Most current published writers were phenomenally excellent too at age thirteen, but they were not publishable; they were WAY better as they got a bit older. Writing well really does take time and practice. It’s a craft, like sports or music. An excellent 13-year-old cellist is not necessarily going to find a job with the New York Philharmonic; 13-year-old Michael Jordan would not have made an NBA basketball team.

Have you thought of entering a contest? That was how Gordon Korman was published as a teen. Look into entering the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Contest, for example.

Keep at it. Write great stories, and when you’re done, write better ones. Then better ones. The best people always rise to the top. Always. I hope you do too. But it’s all about the work. I hope I see your name in print someday.

Gargi wrote on July 9, 2016 at 6:08 PM

Hello sir,
I have been a huge fan of Spy X, ever since I read the The Code as a child. Try as I might, I have never been able to find the other books in my city. (This is during the pre-online bookstore era). It was only recently that I discovered that there ARE other books in the series and now I am eager to complete the series. However, I am from India, and there are no sellers here from whom I might buy the other books. Would you perhaps know how I could find a link to putchase an ebook version of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th novels in the Spy X series. I would be very grateful indeed! Regards,Gargi

Admin Reply:

Hi, Gargi! Unfortunately they are completely out of print so the only way to find them is through used book sites. I hope to get the rights back to this series someday, and if I do, I will republish them. But for now, used books are the only hope!

Audrey Mutscheller wrote on July 5, 2016 at 12:43 AM

Hi! Mr. Lerangis I'm a big fan! and I freaked out to find that Aly Black is just like me in almost every way, but I don't dye my hair. I read as much as I can of my favorite writers to get ideas for my books. If I ever publish them I hope you will have time to read them. I also with I could act in a movie. I just don't know how to audition! 🙁 I just feel my life isn't complete without acting... And I really wish I could act as Aly, or another character from a book I have read. I saw from one of your posts that you used to act in movies?! How did you start acting? How do you find auditions? -Audrey (12)

Admin Reply:

Hi, Audrey! Yes, I did act, but mostly on stage, not in movies. I live in New York City and there are plenty of places where you can find listings of auditions. That’s about it. You answer the casting calls, show up, and show them your talent! If you’re serious, it would be best to look up talent agents who handle kids and teens. There are a lot of them out there.

Kevin fu wrote on July 4, 2016 at 6:04 AM

Hey Peter it's me again. Last message I sent is a request on a companion series to 7 Wonders. This one is just my feeling and thought towards the series. To be honest I JUST finished the last book today. And I'm just sooooo overwhelmed by it. A part of me is so happy that the series end in such a peaceful and beautiful way. But the other part of me screams for more of it. I just can't stop thinking about what would happen to the selects and what would happen on their 14th birthday and I'm not getting an answer. I'm having such a hard of getting over the feeling and thoughts towards the characters. It's so hard to say goodbye to a series that you like so much. But despite that, the 7 Wonders is just one of the most attractive series to me and I really do hope there will be a second series followed by the original plot. Thank you so much for coming up with an amazing journey. Please answer my first message as well. I'm dying to know.

Admin Reply:

Thanks so much again, Kevin. What a beautiful note. I’m about to leave on summer vacation and it puts a big smile on my face. I’ve got commitments to write two other trilogies in the next few years, but it would be great to revisit the world of the Seven Wonders. I miss it too, and I will definitely bring it up with my publisher. So glad you were along on the ride. I’m still recovering!

Kevin Fu wrote on July 4, 2016 at 2:18 AM

Hey Peter! I just finished your Seven Wonders series adn it's just awesome. I really like the plot and i really appreciate the effort adn heart u have put into the book!! There's just one thing that IM NOT satisfied with is that no fuition of the romantic relationship between Jack and Aly :(. Which is such a shame that I've been expecting ti so bad through out the series. So here's my question for you, and also a request: Will you write a companion series of 7 wonders also based on the view of Jack?? I would LOOOOVE to see the two's relationship get to an end and also longing BADLY for more epic actions!! Please give me an answer on the page and please consider te request of a companion series. (Of course, Im not trying to force you or threaten or anything. But it doesnt hurt to consider)

Admin Reply:

Hi, Kevin! Ha! That would be fun, wouldn’t it? I’ll have to talk to my publisher about it. One never knows …

Anthea wrote on July 1, 2016 at 4:53 PM

Hi Mr. Lerangis! I just finished The Legend of the Rift and it was AMAZING!!! You are a wonderful author! In school, I'm doing a project on writing, and I was wondering if you could give me some tips on writing novels? Thanks, Anthea

Admin Reply:

Hi, Anthea! Thanks for writing. I am delighted you enjoyed Legend of the Rift! Good luck with your writing project (although by now you’re probably on vacation!). I’m not sure how far along you are on your writing journey, but here are some tips I like to give about writing in general:
1. You have to want it more than anything else in the world. You have to be the kind of person who doesn’t settle for no.2. Reading voraciously — all the time — is the single best training to become a writer.3. It helps to be intensely curious about how your favorite authors make their work so good. What kind of words do they use? What kind of words do they leave out?4. You need to practice. Like a musical instrument or a sport, writing gets better with constant work. Write some things for yourself, pieces that no one else sees. Also write stories that you show to people you respect — teachers, librarians, parents, siblings, other authors, etc. Listen to their feedback. Learn to recognize useful and useless feedback. Useful feedback is your best friend, even though it may feel painful.5. You must collect ideas. Write them down. A pad or a writer’s notebook is great, but anything will do, even a receipt or a scrap of paper. Collect your ideas from conversations, things you observe in everyday life, dreams, other books and movies, etc. When you have a bunch of them, read them over and decide which is the best. Which one makes you the most excited? Start working on that one. If you like it, chances are your readers will too.6. You need to recognize that the stakes in your story must be super-high. Even in stories about everyday life, there must be some dilemma that seems impossible to solve, something the readers will hang on to until the very end.7. Regarding step 6, think hard about what you want to leave out of your story. That’s the thing that will pull your readers in.8. Live life to the fullest. It’s easier to write compelling stories if you’ve experienced compelling events in your life.9. Don’t worry about getting published right away. Almost no one is published at a super-young age, and that’s OK.10. Did I say practice?11. Practice.

Rayna wrote on June 20, 2016 at 12:09 AM

Dear Mr Lerangis, Hi! I'm a 4th grade student from Burr Intermediate School. You were doing Q and A and I didn't get to ask my question. Are you going to write another series besides the 7 Wonders? If so, what would the name be?

Admin Reply:

Hi, Rayna! Sorry I didn’t get to your question at Burr! Yes, I’m working on a new series now but we haven’t agreed on the title yet. Soon, though! I will tell you it involves some sci-fi and lots of adventure and travel!

Lane B wrote on June 3, 2016 at 6:43 PM

Hi peter, My name is Lane and I am ten years old boy. I read your first book of the seven wonders sieries. I LOVED it. I sugest that you can write a book about roman/greek mytholagy. If you could make another seiris and connect it with seven wonders (as in the charectars help each other) that would be amazing (as in a best selling 2 serieses) thank you!
Lane

Admin Reply:

Thank you so much, Lane! That is a great idea that I will have to take under consideration... *puts on thinking cap...*

Isaac Chin wrote on May 14, 2016 at 3:11 PM

What??? On page 421 it says Skokie IL, NO WAY... THAT'S WHERE I LIVE. WHAT'S GOING ON???

Admin Reply:

Haha! Secret author-reader GPS mind melding! Or something like that.

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