James Preller's Blog

Archive for EXIT 13

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #348: The Sometimes Disappointing Business of Children’s Publishing

May 25, 2026 / jimmy / 2 comments

 

 

 

 

–

Here’s another letter from a reader who enjoyed EXIT 13: The Whispering Pines.

–

It kind of kills me, because there’s a sad story here, one that I suspect is fairly common in contemporary children’s publishing. I was asked to write two books in a new series for Scholastic. They came to me with the title, “Exit 13,” and a plan to feature the first book in Scholastic Book Fairs. They owned the concept. Beyond that, I did most of the heavy lifting. I was grateful for the opportunity. It was also a return to my publishing roots, since that’s where I first good my start. 

–

I was pleased with the first book. I thought I accomplished something.  This was a fun, fast-paced, genuinely mysterious story. And it was well-published, too, featuring great art by Kevin Keele. 

–

–

–

–

Of course, that first book had no advance promotion, no buzz whatsoever, when it appeared in Book Fairs next to some of the most popular books in the business. I gather that sales were disappointing. And before the second book came out, Scholastic had decided to pull the plug. There would be no third title. The series was dead on arrival, with no time to reach an audience. Honestly, all things considered, it would have taken a near-miracle to succeed.

–

Hey, publishing is filled with tough decisions. It’s a business. They are in it to shift units, make cash registers sing. I understand how it works. Maybe they were right. But in my heart, I felt like that series could have been something. I had hopes!

–

Oh, well. You move on. And occasionally answer a letter from a reader. 

–

–

–

–

Hello Mr. Preller,

–

My name is Ella _____ and I’m a 4th grader at South Dakota ______ Elementary and I really like your book Exit 13 The Whispering Pines. I like your book because I like how mysterious it is with the creepy man that Willow has a crush on until she starts to think differently about him. I also like how Ash goes into the forest with Willow to find their dog Daisy the goldendoodle.  I also like the part when they are in the pool that is not filled and the wolf comes when Willow isn’t there and she’s getting a drink while Ash and the girl are in the empty pool. A question I have  is why was the snake in the janitor’s cart? Another question i have is how did the dad fall and sprain his neck during the fire alarm? Mr. Preller thank you so much for reading my paragraph about your book Exit 13.

–

–

I replied . . . 

–

–

Dear Ella,

–

Good morning! Thanks for your patience. I’ve been covering a lot of ground lately — drove from Albany, NY, all the way to New Orleans and back (almost 3,000 miles!), then to Long Island for a school visit to speak to 7th graders who all read my book Bystander, and then yesterday at a local school to talk to students, PreK-5. 

–

So, finally, at last, a quiet morning at home. It’s overcast and rainy and my dog Echo is looking at me, wondering when we’ll go out for a walk. I’ve patiently explained that he’ll have to wait until I finish this letter to Ella in South Dakota.

–

He just doesn’t get it. 

–

Thank you for reading EXIT 13: The Whispering Pines. I’m glad you enjoyed its overall creepy, mysterious vibe. There’s a sequel, EXIT 13: The Spaces In Between, that I think is even more exciting. Anytime I write a story, there’s a degree of setting things up in the beginning: introducing characters, the setting, the situation. It’s always going to be a little slow at first, by necessity. With this book, I hoped to sprinkle in enough strangeness to keep the reader involved until the plot reveals itself and the action picks up. If the reader doesn’t care about the characters, then it’s not going to be a good book, period. For the second title in the series, I was able to launch right into it. In the process, I stumbled upon a device that worked really well. I found a way to put both Ash and Willow in peril — but separately. Then I was able to alternate chapters between them. Just when Ash was in trouble, I’d cut to Willow, get her in danger, then cut back to Ash, and somehow maintained that pace for about six chapters. It worked out really well, I think. I have a new series coming out next year, THE SURVIVAL CODE, that’s basically a wilderness survival series, and I use that device again to, I hope, great effect. Keep your eye out for them in the future.

–

–

So here I am, 65 years old, a published author for 40 years, still learning new things. That’s one of the best things about this job. 

–

–

By the way, I once had a goldendoodle named Daisy in real life. Now that she’s gone, I put her in that book. 

–

–

–

–

You asked about the snake. Is it two-headed? I forget. To me, it was another odd element, part of the motel’s creepy backstory that I hoped to further develop in future books. Alas, Scholastic, my publisher, did not have an appetite for more, a decision they made before the second book was even published. It’s like a new TV show getting pulled after only a few episodes; it’s hard to build an audience when you don’t have time to grow. Oh, well. In Book #2 I do get to hint at some of the forces at work, and possibly an alien presence. The ground is poisoned, if you will. Weird things happen there. A rift in time and space. 

–

The father hurt himself during a late-night fire alarm. Wakened in the middle of the night, in a strange room, he simply stumbled and fell. It served to keep the family in place for a bit, though of course we later learn that leaving was never an option. 

–

Okay: Echo is really giving me the evil eye right now. I have to end this letter, get out of my pajamas, and start the day. Ella, I really appreciate hearing from you. Thanks for reading EXIT 13. You might also like my book Blood Mountain, where I have a brother and a sister and a dog (Carter, Grace, and Sitka) lost in the mountains. It is realistic fiction, unlike EXIT 13, but it shares many of the same qualities, including two parallel plot threads that occur at the same time, jumping back and forth in alternate chapters. In that book, I strive for similar creepiness and a general feeling of dis-ease and danger. Not exactly scary (do you know my SCARY TALES books?), but quietly unsettling. 

–

What can I say? I like that stuff. 

–

Anyway, time to go!

–

James Preller

–

–

P.S. Here’s a few from a winter walk. I love that dog!

–

–

–

–

Share Share Tweet Follow Share Print Email

Category: EXIT 13, Fan Mail / Tags: Exit 13 James Preller, Fan Mail Wednesday Preller, James Preller Fan Mail, Kevin Keele illustration, The business of children's publishing, The Spaces In Between, The Whispering Pines

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #345: About the Lesson in That Book . . .

February 14, 2026 / jimmy / No comments

 

Dear James Preller,

My name is Connor from ____ Elementary School. The things I enjoy are playing football and reading your books. My favorite book is Exit 13. My favorite part of the book is when they find out someone lives in the woods. The lesson I learned from the book Exit 13 was to not talk to strangers. My question is have you written any other books besides Exit 13? If you have any other books…which one is your favorite?

Sincerely,

From:Connor 

–

I replied . . .

–

Dear Connor,

–

Thanks for your email. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed Exit 13: The Whispering Pines. There’s a 2nd book, too, titled Exit 13: The Spaces In Between, which I think is even more exciting.

–

I had hoped there would be at least a 3rd book in the series, where I could tie up all the loose ends, but publishing is a cruel business. It’s up to the publisher, Scholastic, not me.

–

Yes, I have many other books. Four that I’d recommend to you, since you asked:  Blood Mountain, a wilderness suspense thriller; Scary Tales: 3 Spooky Tales in 1, a new collection of scary stories, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno; Bystander, a work of realistic fiction that centers around bullying in a middle school; and Shaken, coming in paperback on 3/17, about a 7th grade soccer player, Kristy, who suffers from a severe concussion.

–

           

–

One of my favorite books has become hard to find recently, titled Six Innings, about a championship Little League game.  Better Off Undead is also a wild read with a zombie and a mystery at the heart of it.

–

I have a new wilderness series coming out in May of 2027, The Survival Code, and the first book is very exciting, Wildfire Escape.

–

You know, honestly, I don’t think I set out with any real “lesson” to teach with Exit 13. Mostly, I was trying to write an entertaining story. Of course, there are attitudes and values and signals embedded into any story — how characters treat each other, etc. — but I am not really a big believer in “teaching lessons” with my books. Whatever you, the reader, gets out of it, that’s okay with me.

–

Personally, maybe this is wrong to say, but I like talking to strangers, i.e., meeting new people. Sure, yes, it’s important to be smart about it, to stay safe, but I don’t feel comfortable making a blanket statement to never speak to strangers. I mean, please, don’t be stupid. Don’t climb into any windowless white vans. But I don’t see every new person as a danger and a threat. That said, again, you have to be situationally aware and use good sense. Be wary, be cautious, but if you are in a safe place, with people around who you trust, you can probably venture a little conversation.

–

The big lesson that I do want to teach with my books: Reading is a pleasure, it’s enjoyable, and it’s a fulfilling way to expand your mind and deepen your understanding of the world around you. In my world, all the best people are readers. And one good book leads to another.

–

Keep reading, my friend. Any books at all, even mine, 

–

James Preller

–

–

Share Share Tweet Follow Share Print Email

Category: EXIT 13, Fan Mail / Tags: Exit 13 James Preller, Fan Mail James Preller, Fan Mail Wednesday

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #343: There Is an Exit After All

May 16, 2025 / jimmy / No comments

 

Here’s a recent email that touches on a painful subject. So I set aside for a couple of weeks before answering.

 

Dear Sir,

I hope you are doing well. I am a 13 year old and a huge fan of your EXIT 13 MOTEL series. I just simply love it. I have been waiting for books 3 and 4, but I didn’t see it out there. I just wanted to ask if it was coming soon, I would be waiting for it. I know you would get some hundreds of fan mail, but if you would be able to spare a few minutes, do reply back. It would mean the world to me. It’s my first time writing a fan mail so I would like to apologise for any mistakes I make.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

–

–

I replied . . .

–

–

Aakriti,

–

My apologies for taking nearly a month getting back to you.

–

I could say that I’m busy, that I’ve had things to do. And while that’s generally accurate, the truth is that you hit a nerve. A sore spot. A place of disappointment and pain.

–

As far as I know, there will not be another book in the EXIT 13 series. 

–
It just didn’t sell fast enough. And publishing has increasingly become a business of “instant” success or failure. If something doesn’t hit big, right away, then the publishing world moves on to the next thing.

–

There is always a next thing. 

–

At different times, a series like EXIT 13 might be considered a slow grower. A series that needs to find its audience. Three books, four books. Time for word of mouth to spread. Time to occupy shelf space in bookstores. 

–

That’s not the world we live in anymore.

–

R.L. Stine once said that his GOOSEBUMPS series didn’t take off until the 4th book. So even something as stunningly popular as GOOSEBUMPS took time to develop.

–

Oh well!

–

Here’s more of an explanation for you . . . 

–

https://www.jamespreller.com/2024/05/11/fan-mail-wednesday-336-the-fate-of-exit-13/

–

Thank you so much for your letter. 

–

Starting the series, part of the challenge was to have enough “story” for it to go 4 books, 6 books, 8 books long. A deep, involved mystery. 

–

I wish I could have wrapped it up for readers with at least one final book. Got the McGinns out of the motel, at least. Explained some of the business with the animals and woods and the aliens. 

–

Thank you for reading the books and, most especially, for reaching out.

–

I appreciate you . . .

–

James Preller

–

–

–

–

Share Share Tweet Follow Share Print Email

Category: EXIT 13, Fan Mail, the writing process / Tags: Exit 13 James Preller, James Preller Fan Mail Wednesday, Kevin Keele, Will there be more Exit 13 books in the series?

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #336: The Fate of EXIT 13

May 11, 2024 / jimmy / 5 comments

 

This one sort of stopped me cold, wondering how to reply, writing to an adult teacher and also, at the same time, 22 third-grade readers. How to tell them that the world can be a sad and disappointing place?

How to let down a reader? 

But one of my core beliefs as a writer for young people is that children can deal with anything. And they do, in their actual lives, all the time. Friends move away. Invitations are never sent. Pets grow old and die. So I just try to be authentic, and age-appropriate, and honest. 

And, of course, long-winded.

Here’s the email I received . . . 

–

–

Hello!

–

My name is Kaelyn D____ and I teach 3rd grade in Michigan. We have just finished the second Exit 13 book as a whole class. It has kept my students on their toes!

–

They were so sad to see that there wasn’t a 3rd book out quite yet, I told them I would do my best to let them know if one comes out soon. 

–

They have loved the mystery and being able to make theories about what happens next and compare it to what really happened. I told them I would try my best to reach out and at least let you know how loved those books are in my class. Seeing them so engaged and excited about reading is my favorite! So thank you for writing these novels!

–

We hope to see another book and hear about Ash and Willow’s adventures moving forward.  

–

Thank you so much,

–

Kaelyn D____ and her 22 third graders! 🙂 

–

–

I replied . . . 

 

Dear Kaelyn D____ in Michigan, and to your 22 miraculous students,

–

Thank you so much for your kind letter. For reasons that I’ll explain, it made me both happy and sad.

–

I appreciate that you read and enjoyed both books. I loved writing them and I’m very proud of EXIT 13. There’s a section in Book 2 where the chapters alternate between Ash in the woods and Willow in danger back at the motel. The book jumps back and forth between those two characters and I thought it worked really well, building tension and suspense. As a writer, I felt like yes, this is exciting. After writing all these years, I’ve finally learned enough to pull this off. Real adventure and mystery. A page turner!

–

You might know my Jigsaw Jones books. In those mysteries, all 42 titles, I stay with Jigsaw’s point of view all the way through. The camera, so to speak, never leaves Jigsaw. But in the EXIT 13 books, I was able to shift the focus from one scene to the other, back and forth, and it was exciting to toggle between them. I hoped that it would be exciting to read, too.

–

I worked a similar trick — or literary device — in my book Blood Mountain. There’s a sister and brother, Grace and Carter, who get lost in the mountains. Once they became separated, I was able to do that same thing as in EXIT 13, where I leap from one scene to the next, keeping the plot moving but also building suspense.

–

I think of it as a magician trying to keep a number of plates spinning in the air. Have you ever seen anything like that? Maybe you can find an example on Youtube. There’s a little video titled “Plate spinning routine by Henrik Bothe” that gives you the idea. You want to keep all the plates spinning before they come crashing to the floor.

–

That’s what it’s like to tell a rousing story!

–

By the way, I have three children. Nick is the oldest. But my two youngest, Gavin and Maggie, are only 18 months apart and grew up more tightly together. I guess I like that dynamic between a brother and a sister. There’s friendship and rivalry. 

–

Where do we get ideas? From our own lives, of course. That’s the beginning, anyway. Then you add imagination. Make stuff up.

–

(I wonder if you’d like my “Scary Tales” books? You might want to check those out from the library.)

–

–

–

When I started the series, I was hired by a publisher, Scholastic. The editor asked me to write two books, though we both hoped there would be more. I planned for more. I certainly had enough ideas for at least six overall. After all, I got these characters into the motel, I had to find a way to get them out. That was the job. But at the beginning, I had to get the ball rolling.

–

Anyway, here comes the sad part, because it’s about the business of publishing. I wrote the first book, The Whispering Pines, and it was offered on Scholastic Book Fairs. While that was happening, I finished the second book, The Spaces In Between. But before the second book even came out, before anyone in the world read it, Scholastic had already decided that sales were not strong enough for the first book. They did not want a 3rd title. 

–

It didn’t matter if the books were good or not. The only thing that mattered was how many people bought the first one in those first two  months at the Book Fairs. When sales were not robust enough, they pulled the plug. It was not a home run. No more books, gone, goodbye. 

–

The series was over before it ever got a chance to catch on. 

–

Unfortunately, that’s publishing these days. It’s also true, I guess, of television shows and songs on the radio and the arts in general. Instant success or they move on to the next thing. We are forever moving on to the next thing.

–

It’s hard and disappointing. A writer puts so much into his books. Heart and soul. Sigh. 

–

I had notes for a 3rd and 4th book. Ideas I wanted to pursue. The alien visitors. The strange, somewhat damaged animals in the forest that needed rescuing. I had the notion that the McGinns were brought to EXIT 13 for a reason. That there was a mission to complete. And that once Ash and his family understood the mission, and succeeded, once they figured out the deep mystery, they’d be “allowed” to leave EXIT 13. 

–

I so much wish I could write those books for you. But without a publisher, there can be no book. Hopefully you were able to enjoy the first two in the series. I know it’s a true bummer that I was unable to finish the larger story. I’m really sorry to disappoint readers. Believe me, it’s the last thing I ever wanted to do. 

–

Publishing is a tough business. As someone once wrote, “It’s a bunny eat bunny world.”

–

But summer is almost here. There’s so much more to do in this life — more to read and write. I’m grateful to you, Ms. Davis, for sharing my work, and this letter, with your class. They are lucky to have a teacher who loves books, who reads out loud, who shares that enthusiasm for the written word. We’re both book lovers, you and I, and that will always connect us. Thanks for everything. 

–

Forever your friend,

–

James Preller

–

–

Share Share Tweet Follow Share Print Email

Category: Blood Mountain, EXIT 13, Fan Mail / Tags: Blood Mountain, Exit 13 James Preller, Exit 13 series, Fan Mail Wednesday Preller, James Preller Fan Mail, Plate spinning routine by Henrik Bothe, Scary Tales 3 Spooky Stories in 1

• Search

  Search for:

• Pages

  • Bio
  • Books
  • Contact/School Visits
  • Jigsaw Jones
  • Q & A

• Categories

  • 5 Questions
  • A Pirates Guide (Series)
  • All Welcome Here
  • Along Came Spider
  • And a Moose!
  • Around the Web
  • Before You Go
  • Better Off Undead
  • Big Idea Gang
  • Bigfoot & Dodo
  • Blood Mountain
  • Bullying
  • Bystander
  • Cultivating Creativity
  • Current Events
  • DC
  • EXIT 13
  • Fairy House
  • Family
  • Fan Mail
  • Fun Clips
  • Greatest Hits
  • Haiku
  • Happenings
  • House Fairy
  • In the Classroom
  • Interviews & Appreciations
  • Jigsaw Jones
  • Justin Fisher Declares War!
  • Middle School Life
  • Mighty Casey
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Musings
  • New York Mets
  • One Question
  • Only In Washington
  • Overheard
  • Readings
  • Scary Tales
  • School Visits
  • Shaken
  • Six Innings
  • Skype
  • The Courage Test
  • The Fall
  • The Gender Gap in Reading
  • The Survival Code
  • the writing process
  • Uncategorized
  • Upstander

• Archives

  • July 2026
  • June 2026
  • May 2026
  • April 2026
  • March 2026
  • February 2026
  • January 2026
  • December 2025
  • November 2025
  • October 2025
  • September 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008

• Book Reviews & Resources

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • A Year of Reading
  • Abby (the) Librarian
  • Anita Silvey’s Book-A-Day Almanac
  • Book Nut
  • Brooklyn Arden
  • Chasing Ray
  • Guys Lit Wire
  • IndieBound
  • Literate Lives
  • Picture Book Illustration
  • Read Roger
  • Seven Impossible Things
  • The Brown Bookshelf
  • The Miss Rumphius Effect
  • The Reading Zone
  • Two Writing Teachers

• Creative Inspiration

  • Post Secret
  • Slushpile Hell
  • The Writer’s Almanac
  • This Colossal

• Music

  • Acclaimed Music
  • American Songwriter
  • Aquarium Drunkard
  • Cover Me Songs
  • Expecting Rain
  • Large Hearted Boy
  • Pandora
  • Pitchfork
  • Pretty Much Amazing
  • Slicing Up Eyeballs
  • Twentyfourbit

• Random Pleasures

  • A.V. Club
  • Boingboing
  • Flavorwire
  • Grammar Girl
  • Grantland
  • Metacritic
  • NPR Music
  • Parents Just Don’t Understand
  • The Book Beast
  • The Popcorn Trick