Alan’s Comments (group member since Mar 22, 2011)

Alan’s comments from the Q&A with Alan Bradley group.

Hayes wrote: "Hello Mr Bradley. Hello all.

Just loved the first two Flavia books, and can't wait to read "Red Herring", which I have in ebook form.

I also love your profile/avatar picture: I can tell you are ..."

Thanks for your kind comments. Making you happy makes me happy.

Glad you like the photo. My wife, Shirley snapped it during a research session.

Hope you enjoy "Red Herring". It's not all that long - in publishing terms - before "I Am Half-Sick of Shadows" is available.

I'd better get back to work!

Best regards,

Alan

J. wrote: "I just received A Red Herring in the mail today and look forward to reading it (I'm already in line *behind* my son who snatched it right up).

What I love most about the Flavia series is the wri..."


Dear J.

I love it when families read together. Thanks for sharing the book with your son, and the news with me. My best wishes are with you as you turn the pages.

Cheers!

Alan

Jill wrote: "I enjoyed your Flavia books so much that I was trying to find a copy of your Shoebox Bible but it doesn't seem to be available. Is it going to be released in the future?"

Hi, Jill,

"The Shoebox Bible" has been out of print for several years. I usually suggest that readers ask their local or university library to arrange an interlibrary loan, and most have been successful in borrowing a copy. They sometimes ask you to pay shipping expenses - sometimes not.

There's been a bit of inconclusive discussion about publishing a new edition, but nothing's firm yet. At the moment, Flavia is about all I can handle!

If there's anything new on this, I'll post it on my own website: www.flaviadeluce.com - or on the Flavia Fan Club: www.flaviafanclub.ning.com

Thanks for your interest.

Alan

Violet wrote: "Hi Alan, I know everyone has already said this many times over, but I just love your writing and especially the main character of this current series, Flavia De Luce. Each time I have finished one ..."

Alan wrote: "Carol wrote: "Dear Alan,
I've just finished "A Red Herring Without Mustard" and just want to say you've done it again! I couldn't put it down. I absolutely LOVE Flavia, but I do have a question....."


Hi, Violet,

That's very high praise indeed! And I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I think we've all been inspired by young narrators such as Scout, Huckleberry Finn and Mattie Ross - even though there aren't as many of them as you'd expect. I remember my own 11-year-oldness vividly, which perhaps helps, although Flavia's voice is not mine!
I wish I could duplicate myself and write faster, but my ways are rather slow. It takes 9 to 12 months to produce a first draft, much of which is writing and research. I know there are authors who can crank out a book in a couple of months, or a couple of weeks, but I am not one of them.
Editors love to receive a clean manuscript, checked for spelling and facts - no typos, and I guess I'm one of those fussy types who tries my best to oblige them.
You'll be happy to know, though, that I'm just putting the finishing touches on the next book, "I Am Half-Sick of Shadows". It's been a huge amount of fun to write. I hope you enjoy it!

Best regards,

Alan

Carol wrote: "Dear Alan,
I've just finished "A Red Herring Without Mustard" and just want to say you've done it again! I couldn't put it down. I absolutely LOVE Flavia, but I do have a question.....does she go..."


Hi, Carol,

A bit more about the schooling of the de Luce sisters in book four.

There's a much longer story being told here - the story of the de Luce family - than can be contained in each book.

I've said elsewhere that I think of the series as a pie, with each book representing just one slice. Hence (partly) the title of the first book.

Thanks for joining the group!

Alan





Heidi wrote: "Alan wrote: "Welcome to the group. Thank you all very much for joining. I will be back on April 11 to start the discussion. In the meantime, please introduce yourselves."

Wonderful to find you her..."


Hi, Meghan,

Reading Agatha Christie by flashlight under the blankets takes me back to my own childhood, too! And I'm still reading her.

I wrote the Flavia books intentionally as "genreless". They were meant to appeal to anyone, of any age group, who enjoys the same sorts of things that I do. There has been a great deal of spillover into YA readers and buyers, and I'm supremely happy - and grateful! - for that. Had the books been marketed as YA, they might have bypassed many adult readers. I've personally heard from readers aging in range from 8 to 95.
But to answer your question, no, there was never any discussion about marketing the books as YA.

Alan

Pillsbury05 wrote: "To the impeccably talented Alan Bradley:

I am a soon-to-be graduate student in the pursuit of literary translation, and I must say that beautiful literary artistry, such as the Flavia de Luce se..."

Lisa wrote: "Hi Alan,

I just want to say I hope you have sampled the absolutely delicious audiobook versions of your series. Jayne Entwistle is exactly right for Flavia.

About me: authors I'm fond of (living..."

Lisa wrote: "Hi Alan,

I just want to say I hope you have sampled the absolutely delicious audiobook versions of your series. Jayne Entwistle is exactly right for Flavia.

About me: authors I'm fond of (living..."

Hello, Heidi - welcome to the Q&A. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed "A Red Herring Without Mustard". The next book in the Flavia series, "I Am Half-Sick of Shadows" has been scheduled for publication next January 31st. I'm just now in the polishing stages. Hope you'll enjoy it, too!

Alan

Hi, Pilsbury05

My goodness, I'm blushing!
I'm delighted to hear that you like the writing style of the Flavia books. It's fun to spend the day working with Flavia and her family.
I've always been intrigued by the alarming capabilities of which some 11 year olds are capable. I have a huge amount of respect for the focus and the obsession that is sometimes achieved by this hugely overlooked age group.

The profession of literary translator is one that I much admire. With the Flavia books now translated into 31 languages other than English, I've had the opportunity of working with translators working in such disparate languages as Chinese, Hebrew, Basque, Russian, and many, many others. It's always a treat to watch over their shoulders - and even inject an idea or two - as they interpret the world of a 1950's country estate for an entirely different culture.

With best wishes for your future translations,

Alan

Isabel wrote: "I picked up the first Flavia book a few years ago when I was at the cottage and looking for a good mystery. I wasn't sure if the book was written for young people, but it grabbed and held MY atten..."

Lisa wrote: "Hi Alan,

I just want to say I hope you have sampled the absolutely delicious audiobook versions of your series. Jayne Entwistle is exactly right for Flavia.

About me: authors I'm fond of (living..."

Lisa wrote: "Hi Alan,

I just want to say I hope you have sampled the absolutely delicious audiobook versions of your series. Jayne Entwistle is exactly right for Flavia.

About me: authors I'm fond of (living..."

Hi, Lisa,

You wouldn't believe the number of of fine compliments I've received on Jayne Entwistle's readings of Flavia - or the number of rave reviews. Jayne's audiobook version of "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" won Apple iTunes "AudioBook of the Year".

I'm going to get myself in gear to catch up with your wide spectrum of authors!

Alan



Hi, Deanna,

I hope by this time you're well into "A Red Herring Without Mustard", and enjoying it. If you're not - don't tell me!

Cheers!

Alan

Tracy wrote: "Hi Alan,
I'm loving little Flavia!
Tracy in Texas"

Alan wrote: "Welcome to the group. Thank you all very much for joining. I will be back on April 11 to start the discussion. In the meantime, please introduce yourselves."

Alan wrote: "Welcome to the group. Thank you all very much for joining. I will be back on April 11 to start the discussion. In the meantime, please introduce yourselves."

Hello, Megt. I think you're the first to post in this discussion. Art, writing, journalism and adventuring sound like the perfect combination of interests for a novelist. Good luck with all your ventures, and thanks for posting.
Alan



Hello, Isabel,

I'm so happy to hear you discovered Flavia. It's great to hear from a fellow Canadian.

Let me assure you that I'm writing as fast as I can! As you'll see above, the next book, "I Am Half-Sick of Shadows" is slated for publication next January.

You might try reading parts of the books aloud to your grand-daughter, as many readers have done. If you do, I'd be interested in hearing the outcome.

Suzy wrote: "I'm 62 years old and look forward to each new Flavia adventure. After reading the books, I share them with a friend who will be 14 this summer. Her latest email indicates she dove into the book a..."


Hi, Tracey,

I made my first trip to Texas (Houston) in 2009 to "Murder By the Book" and another in 2010. Since then, there's hardly a day goes by that I don't think of being there.

It took a long time, but I know know why so many people love Texas so much.

Warm greetings!

Alan

Kristine wrote: "I also love the Flavia series. Growing up I devoured Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew and have been looking for really good mysteries ever since. I love kidslit, mysteries, nonfic, etc"

Hi, Suzy,

It always does my heart good to hear from people who are sharing the books with younger readers. There are also a lot of people who have found them good for reading aloud to friends or family.

My best personal regards to you and your 14 year old friend.

Happy reading!

Alan

Kate wrote: "Hello,
I've read all 3 books about Flavia and have enjoyed them immensely. I read mysteries, some suspense and "literary' fiction. I am looking forward to this group discussion!"

Hi, Kristine,
I think one of my sisters used to have several of the early Nancy Drew books, although I must admit I haven't read any of them.
I've been told that a lot of readers love the US editions of the Flavia books because their hard covers remind them of ND.

Some of my favorite mysteries over the years have been Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and, of course, Dorothy L. Sayers. More recently, Laurie R. King, James Lee Burke, and Tony Hillerman.

But, as they say, "So many books, so little time."

Alan

Kate wrote: "Hello,
I've read all 3 books about Flavia and have enjoyed them immensely. I read mysteries, some suspense and "literary' fiction. I am looking forward to this group discussion!"


Hi, Kate,

Welcome to the discussion. I enjoy reading literary fiction, too. My latest enthusiasm: John Banville's "The Sea", which won the Booker Prize a few years ago, and seems to have polarized readers from all round the world. I loved it.

Alan

Heidi wrote: "Alan wrote: "Welcome to the group. Thank you all very much for joining. I will be back on April 11 to start the discussion. In the meantime, please introduce yourselves."

Wonderful to find you her..."


Hi, Meghan,

Reading Agatha Christie by flashlight under the blankets takes me back to my own childhood, too! And I'm still reading her.

I wrote the Flavia books intentionally as "genreless". They were meant to appeal to anyone, of any age group, who enjoys the same sorts of things that I do. There has been a great deal of spillover into YA readers and buyers, and I'm supremely happy - and grateful! - for that. Had the books been marketed as YA, they might have bypassed many adult readers. I've personally heard from readers aging in range from 8 to 95.
But to answer your question, no, there was never any discussion about marketing the books as YA.

Alan

Lisa wrote: "Hi Alan,

I just want to say I hope you have sampled the absolutely delicious audiobook versions of your series. Jayne Entwistle is exactly right for Flavia.

About me: authors I'm fond of (living..."

Lisa wrote: "Hi Alan,

I just want to say I hope you have sampled the absolutely delicious audiobook versions of your series. Jayne Entwistle is exactly right for Flavia.

About me: authors I'm fond of (living..."

Hello, Heidi - welcome to the Q&A. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed "A Red Herring Without Mustard". The next book in the Flavia series, "I Am Half-Sick of Shadows" has been scheduled for publication next January 31st. I'm just now in the polishing stages. Hope you'll enjoy it, too!

Alan

Lisa wrote: "Hi Alan,

I just want to say I hope you have sampled the absolutely delicious audiobook versions of your series. Jayne Entwistle is exactly right for Flavia.

About me: authors I'm fond of (living..."

Lisa wrote: "Hi Alan,

I just want to say I hope you have sampled the absolutely delicious audiobook versions of your series. Jayne Entwistle is exactly right for Flavia.

About me: authors I'm fond of (living..."

Hi, Lisa,

You wouldn't believe the number of of fine compliments I've received on Jayne Entwistle's readings of Flavia - or the number of rave reviews. Jayne's audiobook version of "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" won Apple iTunes "AudioBook of the Year".

I'm going to get myself in gear to catch up with your wide spectrum of authors!

Alan

Alan wrote: "Welcome to the group. Thank you all very much for joining. I will be back on April 11 to start the discussion. In the meantime, please introduce yourselves."

Alan wrote: "Welcome to the group. Thank you all very much for joining. I will be back on April 11 to start the discussion. In the meantime, please introduce yourselves."

Hello, Megt. I think you're the first to post in this discussion. Art, writing, journalism and adventuring sound like the perfect combination of interests for a novelist. Good luck with all your ventures, and thanks for posting.
Alan

Welcome to the group. Thank you all very much for joining. I will be back on April 11 to start the discussion. In the meantime, please introduce yourselves.