Laurie’s answer to “Hi!! I love your book. I am 13 years old, and i read this book when i was 12. I loved the way you r…” > Likes and Comments
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Hi Natalie,
I think it's great that you're writing a story. It sounds very action-packed and plot-driven. Those kinds of stories are very popular! My stories tend to be more character-driven. I think about conflicts and the way my characters would deal with them. I like a little irony and humor, too. But that may not where you want to go with your story. Your best stories will come from combining your experience and your imagination. So just keep writing!
Thanks Ms.Gray!!
I will take your advice, and keep heading where I am going. I got Just Myrto yesterday, and I am on chapter 7. I really like this one so far, and I really like books about the past. On the back cover, it says that you live in Indiana. I was wondering if you were doing any speaking, or book signing in Chicago any time soon, cause that would be cool, and I would definitly be interested in coming! Thanks alot!
-Natalie
Also I was wondering if you new any good publishing companies, incase in future times I could publish my book. I know its a little far fetched, but a girl can dream! One of my friends is an amazing artist, and I asked her if she could draw the cover for it, which she agreed, and she proposed the idea of doing a graphic novel!
-Natalie
It's been awhile since I did a book signing in Chicago, and I don't currently have any scheduled. I'd love to come to Chicago again, though! What's your favorite bookstore / library?
I've only read a couple of graphic novels (or anime or manga). I think I'm more auditory than visual because I love audio books but have trouble staying focused moving from frame to frame in graphic novels. There are so many teens reading graphic novels, though, that it has gained credibility as a genre and I expect that will continue.
I think it's great that you dream of being published. The publishing world is really changing quickly as technology makes books almost instantly available electronically and also in print on demand. I follow Jane Friedman for publishing updates and I also joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.ORG). All of my YA books are published by LuminisBooks.org. What helped me most to get published, though was joining a local writing critique group. Helen Frost is a member of that group. Her book Keesha's House was a Printz honor book. Kekla Magoon also comes to the group when she's in town. I highly recommend any and every book by Helen and Kekla!
Thanks so much, i will have to check the publishing companies out, and as for bookstores... Well i technically don't live in chicago, i just refer to it as that, because people know what it is. I live in a city called evanston, that is 2 cities away from chicago, but still very close. there is a mall called Westfield Old Orchard that is close to my house, and if i am not mistaken, has a barnes and noble bookstore in it. That would be the only place i can think of at the moment. I am getting really far into Just Myrto, and I am on chapter 12. I really love it so far, and am impressed at how much you know about ancient greece. I really like Socrates, and Myrto, and the way it seems that they have a connection with each other, deeper than what you see on the surface, even though they are so mush different. I was wondering if you thought it would be a good idea to change all of my story to english, expesially since i am making it into a graphic novel, because half of it is in spanish, because Mariana, is hispanic, and from guadalajara Mexico. Thanks so much once again for the advice, and i will look forward to seeing you in the future!!!!
-Natalie
Me gusta la idea de una novela bilingue. Puede ser un problema o puede ser la cosa única que se separe tu libro de todos los demás. Write it the way it comes to you. Si viene en español, escrÍbelo en español. If it cmoes in English, write it in English. There will be plenty of time for editing the manuscript later. Hay una novela, Yo-Yo Boing!, escrito por Giannina Braschi en inglés, español y “Spanglish.” Ella es de Puerto Rico. I’ve not actually read the book, but it appears there’s a copy in my library, so I think I’ll check it out. ..
voy a buscar en ella también. Yo no era consciente de que usted habló español , pero es genial que lo haces . Voy a tratar de ver por mi dilema, y definitivamente voy a darle la primera copia cuando mi libro sale .
Le dije a mi profesor de lengua y literatura acerca de usted y él pensaba que era genial que tú me has enviado algo a cambio
Gracias por el cumplido. Me gusta pagar hacia adelante. Me gustarÍa leer tu libro algún dÍa.Yo era profesora de español en un colegio pequeño antes de ser abogada. ¡Hace 30 años! No tengo mucha oportunidad hablar en español en estos dÍas.
He estado hablando español con mis amigos desde siempre, pero mis padres no hablo él. soy un poco oxidado , porque yo no lo hablan todos los días. ¿Podemos volver a Inglés si no te importa ?
Also i am on chapter 19!!! your book just keeps getting better and better...
English is fine with me. I didn't grow up speaking Spanish either, so it's still easier do me to express myself in English. I do love the Spanish language, though! I'm glad you're enjoying Just Mytro. In many ways that's my favorite of my three novels. It's got the
Mind's eye symbol, which I ended up trademarking as my Socratic Parenting logo since the book's copyright wouldn't provide protection for the symbol. http://www.socraticparenting.com/logo...
Thats interesting. I think my favorite part of the way your book is laid out is Myrto dreaming, and how i can tell because it is in italisized. It is really really really cooooool. I LOVE JUST MYRTO!!!!! Sorry i had to go into little kid mode for a sec. currently i am at the end 22.
Also you probably don't like this kind of music but my favorite song right now is Little Do You Know by Alex and Sierra, whats yours?
I just pulled the Alex&Sierra song up on YouTube. I really like it! I'm going to see if my daughter (7th grade - 13) knows it/likes it. My all-time favorite songs are still John Lennon's Imagine and Louie Armstrong's What a Wonderful World.
That's actually a really cool coincidence!! I think you would really like my dad. He is a musician, and sings songs from that time period. I know a lot, like billy holiday, i know all of the Beatles, I know Marvin Gaye, I know Neil Young and Ryan Adams, The kooks, The Housemartins, The Beautiful South, Travis Tritt, Merle Haggard, Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole( I was named after her), I could go and on, and the cool thing about What A Wonderful World, when I was 4, it was my favorite song, and we sang it at my preschool, and it was my favorite song ever, and my dad learned on the guitar. I have footage of me singing it, and I still sing today. There is a couple more songs that you should ask your daughter about. Try by Colby Caliat, Mama Tried by Merle Haggard, Perfect by Pink, and Paper Bag by Fiona Apple. Those are really good, and not very new, so she may not know them.
Here is my dads website, you should check it out, he is also a graphic designer:
http://www.thomascray.com/words.htm
I did check out your dad's website(s). Music, photography, web design, ...very cool. What a Wonderful World really is a great song. Timeless. It's like a new collage of memories and emotions, some older some newer, every time I listen to it. How wonderful to have a recording of you singing it when you were 4..and that you were named after Nat/alie Cole. Happy Memorial Day weekend!
Yes, happy Memorial Day to u as well!! I am in michigan right now, at my vacation house in a little city called Buchanan, and I am going to a parade tommorow. Can u tell me a little bit about Socratic parenting?
Also I hope u are really laurie gray so i am not giving info about me to random people
I am really Laurie Gray. I'd like to think that it would be unlikely that someone would be able to pose as me create a Goodreads account in my name, but I think it's good that you are wary of all social media including Goodreads. To answer your earlier question Socratic Parenting is the idea of applying the Socratic Method to Parenting. Socratic Parenting LLC is my writing, speaking and consulting company. And I asked my daughter about the songs you mentioned earlier. She knew Try and Perfect. Gotta keep it short because I'm typing on my phone. Just wanted to let you know that it really is me.
THANKS!!! I kinda Guessed it was you, but I just had to make sure. That is really cool, and I found some more information on line, and the idea fascinates me! I also have to go now because I normally type to you at school!
I was wondering if you could help me with my summer reading list:
~Summer Sanctuary
~Material Girls
~Joyride
~The Revenge Playbook
~Animalfarm
~Everything I Told You
~The Year Of Goodbyes
Thanks for putting Summer Sanctuary at the top of your list! First three that came to my mind were Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, Caminar by Skila Brown, and The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon.
i feel like i know walk 2 moons, and i looked up Caminar, and i will look i will into the rock and the river, thanks for the suggestions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see that you have not talked to me in a while, which is okay, but i wanted to follow up on some of the books that I had down. Your suggestions were great, but they werent really the type of books i read. to add on to my summer reading list
~Positive
~Between Shades Of Gray
~El Deafo
~Anna and The French Kiss
~The Swap
Sorry my suggestions weren't a good fit. I noticed that your profile says you like historical fiction, so I was thinking along those lines and the Spanish interest, too. I've read Anna the French Kiss and the part I liked best was that it was set in Paris. I haven't read any of the other four you mention. I think I originally suggested Every Day by David Levithan and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson in my very first message to you. Those are still good choices if you haven't read those yet and might be more to your liking.
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Hi Natalie,I think it's great that you're writing a story. It sounds very action-packed and plot-driven. Those kinds of stories are very popular! My stories tend to be more character-driven. I think about conflicts and the way my characters would deal with them. I like a little irony and humor, too. But that may not where you want to go with your story. Your best stories will come from combining your experience and your imagination. So just keep writing!
Thanks Ms.Gray!!I will take your advice, and keep heading where I am going. I got Just Myrto yesterday, and I am on chapter 7. I really like this one so far, and I really like books about the past. On the back cover, it says that you live in Indiana. I was wondering if you were doing any speaking, or book signing in Chicago any time soon, cause that would be cool, and I would definitly be interested in coming! Thanks alot!
-Natalie
Also I was wondering if you new any good publishing companies, incase in future times I could publish my book. I know its a little far fetched, but a girl can dream! One of my friends is an amazing artist, and I asked her if she could draw the cover for it, which she agreed, and she proposed the idea of doing a graphic novel! -Natalie
It's been awhile since I did a book signing in Chicago, and I don't currently have any scheduled. I'd love to come to Chicago again, though! What's your favorite bookstore / library? I've only read a couple of graphic novels (or anime or manga). I think I'm more auditory than visual because I love audio books but have trouble staying focused moving from frame to frame in graphic novels. There are so many teens reading graphic novels, though, that it has gained credibility as a genre and I expect that will continue.
I think it's great that you dream of being published. The publishing world is really changing quickly as technology makes books almost instantly available electronically and also in print on demand. I follow Jane Friedman for publishing updates and I also joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.ORG). All of my YA books are published by LuminisBooks.org. What helped me most to get published, though was joining a local writing critique group. Helen Frost is a member of that group. Her book Keesha's House was a Printz honor book. Kekla Magoon also comes to the group when she's in town. I highly recommend any and every book by Helen and Kekla!
Thanks so much, i will have to check the publishing companies out, and as for bookstores... Well i technically don't live in chicago, i just refer to it as that, because people know what it is. I live in a city called evanston, that is 2 cities away from chicago, but still very close. there is a mall called Westfield Old Orchard that is close to my house, and if i am not mistaken, has a barnes and noble bookstore in it. That would be the only place i can think of at the moment. I am getting really far into Just Myrto, and I am on chapter 12. I really love it so far, and am impressed at how much you know about ancient greece. I really like Socrates, and Myrto, and the way it seems that they have a connection with each other, deeper than what you see on the surface, even though they are so mush different. I was wondering if you thought it would be a good idea to change all of my story to english, expesially since i am making it into a graphic novel, because half of it is in spanish, because Mariana, is hispanic, and from guadalajara Mexico. Thanks so much once again for the advice, and i will look forward to seeing you in the future!!!!-Natalie
Me gusta la idea de una novela bilingue. Puede ser un problema o puede ser la cosa única que se separe tu libro de todos los demás. Write it the way it comes to you. Si viene en español, escrÍbelo en español. If it cmoes in English, write it in English. There will be plenty of time for editing the manuscript later. Hay una novela, Yo-Yo Boing!, escrito por Giannina Braschi en inglés, español y “Spanglish.” Ella es de Puerto Rico. I’ve not actually read the book, but it appears there’s a copy in my library, so I think I’ll check it out. ..
voy a buscar en ella también. Yo no era consciente de que usted habló español , pero es genial que lo haces . Voy a tratar de ver por mi dilema, y definitivamente voy a darle la primera copia cuando mi libro sale .
Le dije a mi profesor de lengua y literatura acerca de usted y él pensaba que era genial que tú me has enviado algo a cambio
Gracias por el cumplido. Me gusta pagar hacia adelante. Me gustarÍa leer tu libro algún dÍa.Yo era profesora de español en un colegio pequeño antes de ser abogada. ¡Hace 30 años! No tengo mucha oportunidad hablar en español en estos dÍas.
He estado hablando español con mis amigos desde siempre, pero mis padres no hablo él. soy un poco oxidado , porque yo no lo hablan todos los días. ¿Podemos volver a Inglés si no te importa ?
Also i am on chapter 19!!! your book just keeps getting better and better...
English is fine with me. I didn't grow up speaking Spanish either, so it's still easier do me to express myself in English. I do love the Spanish language, though! I'm glad you're enjoying Just Mytro. In many ways that's my favorite of my three novels. It's got theMind's eye symbol, which I ended up trademarking as my Socratic Parenting logo since the book's copyright wouldn't provide protection for the symbol. http://www.socraticparenting.com/logo...
Thats interesting. I think my favorite part of the way your book is laid out is Myrto dreaming, and how i can tell because it is in italisized. It is really really really cooooool. I LOVE JUST MYRTO!!!!! Sorry i had to go into little kid mode for a sec. currently i am at the end 22.
Also you probably don't like this kind of music but my favorite song right now is Little Do You Know by Alex and Sierra, whats yours?
I just pulled the Alex&Sierra song up on YouTube. I really like it! I'm going to see if my daughter (7th grade - 13) knows it/likes it. My all-time favorite songs are still John Lennon's Imagine and Louie Armstrong's What a Wonderful World.
That's actually a really cool coincidence!! I think you would really like my dad. He is a musician, and sings songs from that time period. I know a lot, like billy holiday, i know all of the Beatles, I know Marvin Gaye, I know Neil Young and Ryan Adams, The kooks, The Housemartins, The Beautiful South, Travis Tritt, Merle Haggard, Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole( I was named after her), I could go and on, and the cool thing about What A Wonderful World, when I was 4, it was my favorite song, and we sang it at my preschool, and it was my favorite song ever, and my dad learned on the guitar. I have footage of me singing it, and I still sing today. There is a couple more songs that you should ask your daughter about. Try by Colby Caliat, Mama Tried by Merle Haggard, Perfect by Pink, and Paper Bag by Fiona Apple. Those are really good, and not very new, so she may not know them.Here is my dads website, you should check it out, he is also a graphic designer:
http://www.thomascray.com/words.htm
I did check out your dad's website(s). Music, photography, web design, ...very cool. What a Wonderful World really is a great song. Timeless. It's like a new collage of memories and emotions, some older some newer, every time I listen to it. How wonderful to have a recording of you singing it when you were 4..and that you were named after Nat/alie Cole. Happy Memorial Day weekend!
Yes, happy Memorial Day to u as well!! I am in michigan right now, at my vacation house in a little city called Buchanan, and I am going to a parade tommorow. Can u tell me a little bit about Socratic parenting?
Also I hope u are really laurie gray so i am not giving info about me to random people
I am really Laurie Gray. I'd like to think that it would be unlikely that someone would be able to pose as me create a Goodreads account in my name, but I think it's good that you are wary of all social media including Goodreads. To answer your earlier question Socratic Parenting is the idea of applying the Socratic Method to Parenting. Socratic Parenting LLC is my writing, speaking and consulting company. And I asked my daughter about the songs you mentioned earlier. She knew Try and Perfect. Gotta keep it short because I'm typing on my phone. Just wanted to let you know that it really is me.
THANKS!!! I kinda Guessed it was you, but I just had to make sure. That is really cool, and I found some more information on line, and the idea fascinates me! I also have to go now because I normally type to you at school!
I was wondering if you could help me with my summer reading list:~Summer Sanctuary
~Material Girls
~Joyride
~The Revenge Playbook
~Animalfarm
~Everything I Told You
~The Year Of Goodbyes
Thanks for putting Summer Sanctuary at the top of your list! First three that came to my mind were Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, Caminar by Skila Brown, and The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon.
i feel like i know walk 2 moons, and i looked up Caminar, and i will look i will into the rock and the river, thanks for the suggestions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see that you have not talked to me in a while, which is okay, but i wanted to follow up on some of the books that I had down. Your suggestions were great, but they werent really the type of books i read. to add on to my summer reading list~Positive
~Between Shades Of Gray
~El Deafo
~Anna and The French Kiss
~The Swap
Sorry my suggestions weren't a good fit. I noticed that your profile says you like historical fiction, so I was thinking along those lines and the Spanish interest, too. I've read Anna the French Kiss and the part I liked best was that it was set in Paris. I haven't read any of the other four you mention. I think I originally suggested Every Day by David Levithan and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson in my very first message to you. Those are still good choices if you haven't read those yet and might be more to your liking.
-Natalie