1828 entries.
Ashley
wrote on November 28, 2013
at
3:10 PM
hi peter! just wanted to come by and ask what you think of the tattoo i just got. I can't post the picture but here's a link to it: [pl-popup content="http://fosterthecahills.tumblr.com/post/67556228812/decode-it-by-all-means-just-dont-say-it-out" title="" width="1000" height="640"]http://fosterthecahills.tumblr.com/post/67556228812/decode-it-by-all-means-just-dont-say-it-out[/pl-popup]. anyway, thanks! and I DEVOL Lost in Babylon. can't wait for the next book!
Admin Reply:
Hello, Ashley! Ha — that is EMOSEWA! I certainly do know what it means, but I won’t spoil it for others except to say that the answer lies in pigpen. Glad you liked the book. Next one is in May!
Crystal
wrote on November 22, 2013
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10:02 PM
Hey Peter! Yesterday, I visited you at the bookfair in Miami. I can understand if your busy and all yet, I wish you the best! I am in love with your righting. I havn't been able to put any of your books down.
I have a few questions for you, and I'd be very pleased if you could anwser them.
I'd like to ask, how did you get your first book published? And who is your publisher? How did you meet them?
Admin Reply:
Hello, Crystal! Well, I guess that “yesterday” has turned into … um, nearly three months? Wow, sure doesn’t feel that long since the Miami Book Fair! Sorry about the lateness. Here are your answers:
My first book was a modest piece called PUZZLES AND GAMES, for Macmillan. I wrote it back when I was an actor, working as a part-time copy-editor. While editing other people’s books, I got the itch to be a writer again, something I’d always wanted to do since I was a kid. So I managed to convince the published to let me write a book. They needed a book of puzzles, and I liked puzzles, so I gave it a shot. no plot, no characters, no setting, but a lot of mind teasers and humor. From there I went to movie novelizations and eventually books of my own. But it was easier for me because I was already working in the publishing business.
My publisher for the SEVEN WONDERS series is HarperCollins. Believe it or not, they contacted me through this website — and that’s how I met them!
Lin Edmonston
wrote on November 21, 2013
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6:59 PM
Hi Peter, You were fantastic yesterday at Rossman School! The children are still talking about it and smiling when they say your name(that's a good thing!) Thank you for visiting with us and showing everyone writers are hard workers, often discouraged and can have a great sense of humor. Come visit anytime you are in St. Louis. Still smiling and a fan, Lin Edmonston Librarian
Admin Reply:
Hello, Lin! What a lovely note. I am only now catching up on Guestbook responses, but please know that this one means a great deal to me. Thanks you for making my first visit to the St. Louis area such a warm and wonderful memory. I was delighted and honored to speak to your kids, and thank you for telling me how much they enjoyed the presentation. The pleasure was mine.
Yarely
wrote on November 20, 2013
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3:07 AM
Mr. Lerangis,
Do you have any other hobbies besides writing books?
Yarely Edgewood Elementary
Admin Reply:
Hi, Yarely! So sorry to be late in replying, it’s been such a crazy winter finishing up Book 3. Yup, I do have some hobbies: running (which I do every day), music (I play piano and sing), basketball (which I hardly ever do anymore), and eating chocolate (which I do WAY too much).
yady
wrote on November 20, 2013
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3:02 AM
Mr. Lerangis
How long did it take you to write the first book of the Seven Wonders?
Yady Edgewood Elementary
Admin Reply:
Hello, Yady! Please pardon the length of time it took for me to respond. Best to everyone at Edgewood. To answer your question, it took a very long time to write COLOSSUS. From first story idea to last draft, I believe it was about a year!
Reilly
wrote on November 20, 2013
at
1:52 AM
Dear Mr. Lerangis, I was at the presentation you did at the Greenfield High School. I liked your show very much! It was very interesting, funny and entertaining. I love the 39 Clues series and I want to read the Watchers series. I have a very important question to ask you. What do you think would have happened to you if youdidn't become a writer? Also, I'm writing a book myself and I was wondering if you had any tips for me? You are a very talented writer and have a very interesting life. Your Fan, Reilly
Admin Reply:
Hello, Reilly! Apologies for the loooong time in responding. I had such a memorable time in Greenfield — great auditorium and even better audience!
First, thanks so much for your kind words. They mean a lot to me. If I hadn’t become a writer, I think I might still be doing my first career, acting. Or maybe I’d be a lawyer. Before becoming an actor, I’d been accepted into law school, but I never went.
As for advice, here’s what I usually tell people who are serious about writing books: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.
Mary Kloefkorn
wrote on November 17, 2013
at
9:11 PM
11-17-13 Dear Mr. Lerangis, I am the librarian at Discovery Intermediate School in Goddard, KS, and your books, The Seven Wonders, are some of my students’ favorites (and mine!). Thank you for writing books that engage young readers! At the beginning of the year, we challenged our 5th and 6th graders to read 100,000,000 words during the course of the year. To our astonishment, we are already at about 80 million words read and will hopefully meet our goal next month by Christmas break! We want to celebrate this accomplishment with our students and encourage them to keep reading. I’m asking if you would be willing to send a short video clip congratulating the students of Discovery Intermediate School on reaching their goal. I would like to compile these and show them to the students during our celebration. You can check out our school webpage at www.discovery.goddardusd.com and see our reading progress. I appreciate your consideration of promoting lifelong literacy among our students. Mary Kloefkorn, Librarian mkloefkorn@goddardusd.com Ryan Jilka, Principal rjilka@goddardusd.com
Admin Reply:
Well, hello, Mary! I am reading your email with a big old red face 🙁 , as I am catching up on my guestbook entries after three months away — aaaghh!! The good news is that I had to take the time away to write SEVEN WONDERS Book 3: THE TOMB OF SHADOWS, whose publication date was pushed earlier by HarperCollins: from August to May! Which means everyone will be reading it sooner. The bad news is that I had to push aside just about everything else, including my Guestbook, so I missed your contest. But I am so incredibly impressed! I didn’t even know there had been 100,000,000 words written in all history. That is just EMOSEWA.
And here, to tell you in person …
Discovery Intermediate Rocks (click here for proof)!
L.E
wrote on November 16, 2013
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1:02 AM
Hi! First off, your books are fantastic! But, sadly my mom won't let me get the second book in the "Seven Wonders" series yet. And I hope you are doing fine on your tour. I wish you could come to my school and talk about your books. I also have some questions on writing.
When I'm writing, I try to make my readers on the edge of their seats. But for some reason it doesn't seem to work. Then I tried to do a cliff hanger. But, I think I write so much, my readers get bored and leave my story before they get to the cliff hanger. Any advice?
How do you get your characters to become very developed in the beginning of the story without stating it to soon and all together in one paragraph. I can't seem to get it exactly right. Any advice.
Well, thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to read this!
Admin Reply:
Thanks so much for your kind words! Sure I have some advice. Without reading your work, I can’t get too specific, but here are some general suggestions:
Be sure to start your story with a conflict that allows the characters to show their personalities by the way they react. Instead of telling your readers that a character is shy or stubborn or goofy or slick, let the characters BE that way. If your readers are losing interest, maybe you need to show more and tell less.
Remember, every sentence, every piece of conversation MUST push the story forward. It should either move the plot or show us more about the character.
A good story is always about what a writer leaves out, not puts in. So be sure to create mystery by teasing your reader a bit, by not revealing too much. That way they will want to read to the end to discover your secret.
Hope this helps!
Lluvia
wrote on November 15, 2013
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9:53 PM
Hi my name is Lluvia and I am 11 years old and my name means Rain in english ,double L in spanish makes the y sound just in case you were wondering. You came to my school little canada elementary I am the girl in the black coat and I was going to ask you a question that day. have you ever written a story about someone real?. And then after that, the person you wrote about you made them a character in your books?
Admin Reply:
I’ve written about real people from history, who are no longer alive. I wrote a book about Benjamin Franklin, and SMILER’S BONES is about an Eskimo boy named Minik who was orphaned in New York City in 1897. But I think you mean real people like friends and family, or people who are still alive, but no, I haven’t done that. But I sometimes use my friends’ names in books.
Mariposa
wrote on November 15, 2013
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2:18 AM
Hi Mr. Lerangis! My name is Mariposa! You recently visited my school, Enchanted Hills Elementary on 11-14-13! I am in 5th grade, my last year in elementary and I am trying to read, read, read! So far this year I have read LOTS! right after I complete, "THE LION, the WITCH, and the WARDROBE" I am defiantly read your book, "Spy X" I can't wait to read it! I was wondering if by any chance you knew Liz Kessler the author of the, "Emily Windsnap" series? If so please tell her that I am a big fan and that I have read all of her amazing books! If not thank you anyways. Thank you for your time.
Sincirely,
Mariposa
Admin Reply:
Hello, Mariposa! I have such great memories of visiting Enchanted Hills. Hard to believe it’s been only six days. I’ve been in Albuquerque, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and St. Louis since then! No, I don’t know Liz, but I’m sure I’ll meet her at some point, and I’ll be sure to pass on your kind words.
Maggie
wrote on November 14, 2013
at
12:35 AM
I want to become an author someday so do u have any advice? And I really want to be pen pals! I am 11 years old and I am in sixth grade.
-Maggie
Admin Reply:
Hi, Maggie! Thank you for writing. Here's the advice I give to young writers:
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.
Christy Chisholm
wrote on November 13, 2013
at
12:25 PM
Hi there,
As part of grade 3 I have a student who loves your books and decided they wanted to write a letter to their favorite author - you! If you could please send a mailing address, that will reach you so that this student can send their letter, it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for being their inspiration!
Admin Reply:
Hello, Christy! I am honored. I will send you a private message with my mailing address. Do keep in mind that I am on tour until December 5 and then on deadline through January, so it may take awhile to get to my letters. I do respond more quickly to Guestbook messages, but if you don't mind a delay of perhaps several months (sorry!) by all means send away!
Brighton
wrote on November 12, 2013
at
11:10 PM
Dear Mr. Lerangis, YOU ARE AWESOME!! I want to be a writer some day and you are an Awesome example. You probably don't remember me but I was the girl at Wildfire Elementary School in the "orange" (It was actually pink :D) striped T-shirt who asked what your favorite type of chocolate is. By the way your presentation was really funny and my entire class was talking about it. And now onto the question part of this, well, question. What book/ book series do you wish that you had written? As well as do you have any guilty pleasures? If so, what are they? I know it might take a while for you to reply to this and you probably won't remember me, but I think you are awesome. Thanks, Brighton Watson WFES
Admin Reply:
Hi, Brighton. Ha! Thank you so much for the kind words. Yes, I do indeed remember, and sorry about the color confusion! I think I would have loved to write the SEVEN WONDERS series. Oh, wait. I did write that! OK then, maybe I would have liked to write something like FEED by M. T. Anderson or THE BOOK THIEF by Marcus Zusak or WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead, which are brilliant. Or something like Harry Potter, which was read by everybody. Or book 5 of the 39 CLUES series, which took place in Russia, but Pat Carman wrote that one (and extremely well!). As for guilty pleasures, well, that would have to be chocolate chocolate-chip ice cream, possibly my favorite food ever. I like to eat massive amounts of olives too. But not with ice cream.
Darya
wrote on November 10, 2013
at
12:12 AM
Hi Peter! Thank you so much for visiting our school, CTA Freedom, on 11/8/13. It was such a great pleasure. I really appreciate that you came to our school, especially because you woke up at 3:15, and came all the way from New York! Hope you are doing well!
Best wishes,
Darya
Admin Reply:
Getting up at 3:15 was definitely worth it! Thanks for the smiling faces and warm reception. I will never forget it. (I am in Minnesota now, where it is MUCH colder than Arizona!). Have a great holiday season.
alexis ngo
wrote on November 9, 2013
at
4:55 PM
Do you take suggestions? If so, when they finally find the 7 orbs, they realize they can only save themselves, or ****** , having only to use the orbs one time. Thank you for reading this and coming to my school.
Admin Reply:
Thanks, Alexis! Intriguing and mysterious …
Darya*
wrote on November 8, 2013
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11:44 PM
Hi Peter! Thank you so much for visiting our school, CTA Freedom. Meeting you was awesome! You are such a wonderful author! I really appreciate that you took the time to come to our school! Especially because you woke up at 3:15!*
Thanks, Darya
Admin Reply:
Thank you so much, Darya. Visiting you guys was definitely worth the early wakeup time! Thanks for such an enthusiastic reception, and special thanks for your kind words.
Ayden Williams
wrote on November 7, 2013
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10:43 PM
Hi Peter this is ayden you game to are school Tuesday oak grove upper elementary and said we can ask questions here her are some questions. How old are you?
Admin Reply:
Hi, Ayden! OK, well, let’s put it this way: I was born on August 19, 1955. So … I leave the rest to you!
Mrs. Pam Smith
wrote on November 6, 2013
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3:00 AM
Dear Mr. Lerangis, Wow! After your presentation at our school this morning, you were all my students have been talking about! You inspired some of my most reluctant writers to want to start writing as soon as we returned to the classroom! I overheard some of the boys planning a writing club, with each one brainstorming ideas. Wonderful presentation, we thoroughly enjoyed! Hope you had a wonderful time touring Mississippi. Best wishes, Pam Smith 4th Grade Teacher Oak Grove Upper Elementary
Admin Reply:
Dear Mrs. Smith,
Wow back to you! What a lovely and touching message. Truly makes my day! I’m delighted the kids felt that way. They were a magical group, and it was a privilege to have been able to meet so many of them! As you know, this was my very first visit to your beautiful state, but I will certainly be back. Thank you so much for your kind words, and regards to the awesome kids at OGUE!
Moemi or moemi
wrote on November 5, 2013
at
6:13 PM
Hi Mr.Lerangis,
My friend and I are doing a project and we decided to interview you.
These are the questions we want you to answer.
What inspired you to write?
How did you get the idea of writing the seven wonders?
What is your favorite book?
Thank you!!
Admin Reply:
Hello, Moemi! Honestly, I don’t remember NOT being inspired to write. I always loved telling stories. I was the oldest kid in my family and I would always end up being in charge of my younger cousins. So I would keep them occupied by making up stories and causing them to crack up (one of my favorite things to do!). As I got older I loved retreating into my room, taking out a sheet of paper, and writing stories. I loved retreating into fantasy and out of the eveyday world. Then, one day I read a survival story called “To Build a Fire,” by Jack London, which took place in the frozen Arctic. I read it on a hot summer night and the writing was so vivid it made me shiver with cold. I was amazed that London could make me feel that way just by the power of his own words. And I thought THAT was what I wanted to do then I grew up. I got the idea for writing THE SEVEN WONDERS from three ideas that I’d parked in the back of my mind: (1) I was always fascinated by the Seven Wonders of the Ancients World, but I figured I couldn’t write about them because I don’t really write non-fiction; (2) the sunken continent of Atlantic, but I figured I couldn’t write about that because so many people have already done it, and (3) a mystery involving kids isolated far from home on an uncharted island, where they have to figure out how to survive — which plenty of people have written about too. But it occurred to me that if I combined all three, I could cook up something totally unique that had never been done before — and the story just caught fire! Regarding my favorite book — if you mean favorite book that I’ve written, I’d go with LOST IN BABYLON. If you mean favorite book that I’ve read, I simply have too many of them! (It would be like deciding on a favorite child!)
Hope this helps!
Samantha Strange
wrote on November 1, 2013
at
11:02 PM
Hey Mr. Lerangis! You were awesome today at Collegiate! My friends and I were laughing so hard at times! So do you think there is going to be a movie on the first book of the Seven Wonders Series?
Admin Reply:
Hi, Samantha. Thanks so much. What a great school! It was a great pleasure to visit. I hope there will be a movie based on the SEVEN WONDERS. Some movie companies have expressed interest, so we’ll see ...
