READER’S FORUM

May 22, 2023 at 05:22 pm Reply

Jenna

What was your inspiration for the Masterminds books? Does Masterminds relate to your life in any way?
May 22, 2023 at 05:35 pm Reply

Gordon Korman

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Hi, Jenna,

Thanks for posting.

The "inspiration" for the MASTERMINDS series was to examine the question of "nature vs. nurture." That means: are we humans the way we are because we inherit our traits and habits and abilities from our ancestors? Or can we be trained out of those inborn habits by living through a different, nicer upbringing. That's what the Osiris experiment was all about.

And no, it doesn't relate to anything in my own life, thank goodness!

Regards, -----Gordon Korman-----
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Hi, Jenna,

Thanks for posting.

The "inspiration" for the MASTERMINDS series was to examine the question of "nature vs. nurture." That means: are we humans the way we are because we inherit our traits and habits and abilities from our ancestors? Or can we be trained out of those inborn habits by living through a different, nicer upbringing. That's what the Osiris experiment was all about.

And no, it doesn't relate to anything in my own life, thank goodness!

Regards, -----Gordon Korman-----
May 23, 2023 at 09:29 pm Reply

Bryce

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I read your book War Stories. I know you wrote Restart, Ungifted, and Supergifted. I've always loved war and this is a great book in my opinion, but I have a few questions about this book and yourself too.

1. Why did you write this book?

2. Do you have a family member that served in WWII?

3. How many books have you written?

4. What is your favorite book you've written?

5. Do you know Alan Gratz, who wrote Refugee and Zero? and he writes like you, how you go back and forth between two or more characters.

6. Do you have a favorite author besides you?
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I read your book War Stories. I know you wrote Restart, Ungifted, and Supergifted. I've always loved war and this is a great book in my opinion, but I have a few questions about this book and yourself too.

1. Why did you write this book?

2. Do you have a family member that served in WWII?

3. How many books have you written?

4. What is your favorite book you've written?

5. Do you know Alan Gratz, who wrote Refugee and Zero? and he writes like you, how you go back and forth between two or more characters.

6. Do you have a favorite author besides you?
May 24, 2023 at 05:34 pm Reply

Gordon Korman

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Hi, Bryce,

Thanks for posting. I'll try to answer all your questions:

1. I wrote WAR STORIES because I've always been fascinated with stories from WWII, and it's a topic I hadn't touched on.

2. Pretty much everybody had a family member involved in the war because the effort was so widespread. Mine, probably among others, was my Grandfather, who was a Quartermaster in the Canadian Army.

3. I've written 104 books so far. 101 are already in print. #102 is called MIXED UP, and will be out shortly -- in June.

4. My "favorite" is always the current release, so that makes it THE SUPERTEACHER PROJECT. Next month it will switch to MIXED UP, and so on. (But I have a special love for THE FORT, which was # 100.)

5. We've met, I believe, but don't know each other well. I'm not really familiar with his work.

6. My favorite author is an adult writer, no longer living, named Kurt Vonnegut. Brilliant.

OK? Thanks for your interest in me, Bryce. -----Gordon Korman-----
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Hi, Bryce,

Thanks for posting. I'll try to answer all your questions:

1. I wrote WAR STORIES because I've always been fascinated with stories from WWII, and it's a topic I hadn't touched on.

2. Pretty much everybody had a family member involved in the war because the effort was so widespread. Mine, probably among others, was my Grandfather, who was a Quartermaster in the Canadian Army.

3. I've written 104 books so far. 101 are already in print. #102 is called MIXED UP, and will be out shortly -- in June.

4. My "favorite" is always the current release, so that makes it THE SUPERTEACHER PROJECT. Next month it will switch to MIXED UP, and so on. (But I have a special love for THE FORT, which was # 100.)

5. We've met, I believe, but don't know each other well. I'm not really familiar with his work.

6. My favorite author is an adult writer, no longer living, named Kurt Vonnegut. Brilliant.

OK? Thanks for your interest in me, Bryce. -----Gordon Korman-----