[Alice]

Hi Mr. Korman, 

My name is Alice and I am in 4th grade at Childs Elementary School in Ypsilanti, Michigan. I am working on an author study for school and am reading several of your books right now. Part of my assignment includes reaching out to you and asking interview questions. Would you have time to answer some? 

When did you know you wanted to become an author?

How old were you when you wrote your first book?

What inspires you to write your books and how do you come up with ideas?

Did you like reading and writing when you were just a kid or did you fall in love with it as you got older?

Do you have a favorite book from your childhood?

Do you have a favorite character or book that you've written so far?

Do you have your own quiet space to focus on writing?

When you start writing a new book do you usually use the computer or a pencil and paper for your ideas?

Did your family or friends inspire any of your characters?

When will your next book be coming out?

I look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you!

Alice

[Gordon Korman]

Hi, Alice.

Thanks for posting. I hope you're enjoying the books that you're reading for this project. I'll try to answer all your questions:

I knew I wanted to be an author when my first book, which was my 7th grade English assignment, became a bestseller. I was 12 at the time. My ideas come from plain old hard work, and a lot of planning and thinking. No big mystery -- it's just work. As for inspiration, most authors don't need it. We write because we have something we feel we need to say, a story to tell. That's all it takes to start us scribbling. (I think I've answered the one about liking reading and writing as a kid. I was 12 when all this started, nd I'm sue that qualifies as "kid.") A favorite book from my childhood would probably be THE HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY by Douglas Adams. Favorite among my books? They're like my kids, which means a love them all. But I'm proudest of #100, THE FORT and the MASTERMINDS series. I have a 2nd floor writing room where I work and the family knocks before they enter, but I'm not fussy. I can write pretty much anywhere -- on planes, trains, etc. I write on a computer, but when I first started out, it was pen and college-lined paper. My characters are fictional, but I'm sure a trait or two of my relatives and friends are in there somewhere. And I had a new book, THE SUPERTEACHER PROJECT, come out just yesterday, Jan. 10th.

OK? I hope that's enough. If there's anything else, you know where to find me -- right here! Thanks for your interest.

                                                                                    -----Gordon Korman-----

[Alice]

Thank you so much, Mr. Korman!