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Hi, Ms. Hall & Grade 6 Gurus,

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

1. I thought there were enough perspectives, but it looks like I was wrong. Lots of readers have asked — even demanded! — that I write from Elaine’s point of view. Oops. My bad. But you’re the first who also want to hear from Rahim.

2.What inspired me to write this book? I’m a professional writer, so I do write books, after all. But the idea of the worst class and the most burnt-out teacher really intrigued me. You had to know they were going to click together, right?

3.I wrote my first story at age 12 in Grade 7 — it became my first book, THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL. I was almost 14 by the time it was published. That was 40+ years ago, and I’m still at it!

4. Mr. Kermit’s former fiancee is married to someone else, so reconciliation is out of the question.

5. The book I’m working on right now is called THE FORT. It’s going to have a very loud debut, I think, because it’s #100!

6. I’ve never written a graphic novel, but I’d like to try it one day, if I can find an artist I’d like to work with. Normally, I work alone, and sharing the process is going to be hard for me, I think.

OK? Thank you for your response to THE UNTEACHABLES and for your interest in me and my work. I hope you’ll all go on to read many more of the books on my long list.

                Very best wishes,                                                                                                       —–Gordon Korman—–