Hey now, it doesn’t matter what day of the week it is, because “Fan Mail Wednesday” is a state of mind.
Here’s one from a student who attends one of my favorite local schools. Meet Shreya!
I replied:
Dear Shreya,
Wow, thank you for your kind letter, I really appreciate it.
I’m thrilled that you are enjoying the books in my “Scary Tales” series. When I started writing them, that was my number one goal. I said to myself, “I really hope Shreya likes these. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
But what’s up with you not reading The One-Eyed Doll? They don’t have a copy in your library? Or does it sound too creepy for you? What are you waiting for? I write these books exactly, precisely, specifically for YOU, Dearest Reader, the least you could do is read ‘em.
The 6th book in the series will be coming out sometime in the Spring, I think, it involves a swamp and a monster and I have cleverly titled it: “Swamp Monster.” I’m kind of amazing that way.
Of course, by the end, we’re not really sure exactly who the real monster is, are we? The book was especially fun to write, because it features a set of twins from Texas, Lance and Chance, and a fearless girl named Rosalee Ruiz. Right now, the manuscript is with the illustrator, Iacopo Bruno, and he’s working on it. I can’t wait to see what he does with the swampy environment, the Spanish moss dangling from trees like exotic drapes. Creepy! Also, of course, I’m eager to see how he’ll draw the swamp monster.
As an added bonus, here’s a “never-seen-before-by-human-eyes” sample from the unpublished book:
The muddy path skirted the edge of the swampy water. Fortified by peanut butter sandwiches –- no jelly to be found — the boys felt strong and adventurous. They went deeper into the woods than usual. The trees thickened around them, with names like black willow and water hickory. Long limbs hung low. Spanish moss dangled from the branches like exotic drapes. Snakes slithered. Water rats lay still and watched through small red eyes. Once in a while a bird called. Not a song so much as a warning.
Stay away, gawk, stay away!
The farther the boys traveled, the darker it got.
Lance stopped, slapped a mosquito on the back of his neck. The bug exploded, leaving behind a splash of blood. “I don’t know, Chance,” he said doubtfully. “Getting dark, getting late.”
Chance chewed on a small stick. He spat out a piece of bark. “Let’s keep on going.” And off he went, leading the way, content that Lance would follow.
After another while, Chance paused and stooped low, bringing his eyes close to the ground. He pointed to a track in the mud. “What you think, Lance?”
“Too big for a gator,” Lance said. He turned to gaze into the dark, snake-infested water as if staring into a cloudy crystal ball. “But I’d say it’s gator-ish.”
“Real big though,” Chance noted. “Heavy, too. You can tell ‘cause the print sank way down.”
“Guess you’re right,” Lance agreed.
“Here’s another,” Chance said, moving two steps to his right. “Three clawed toes, webbed feet. Weird.”
“Never seen the like of it before,” Lance said. “Looks like it was moving fast, judging by the length of the stride –-“
“—- and headed right there,” Chance said, pointing to the swamp, “—- into the water.”
“You reckon those tracks were made by Bigfoot?” Lance asked.
Chance grinned at his brother. They both laughed until the swamp swallowed up the sound. They stood together in the echo of that lonely silence.
“Maybe we should head back,” Lance suggested.
Anyway, Shreya. Hopefully that sounds intriguing to you.
I believe I’ve visited your school, Lynnwood, a couple of times over the past 10 years or so. Everybody is always super nice. You’re lucky; it’s a great & happy place.
My best, and thanks again. Below, please find the free autograph that you requested. Cheers!
JP
