A note on gratitude…
| My twentieth book (The Candymakers and the Great Chocolate Chase) came out this year. That feels like a big milestone when I worked so hard and dreamed so long of just writing one good enough to get published. I’ve thought a lot about gratitude over the years (Oprah really had something with that gratitude journal idea, or at least that’s where I first heard of it.) If you start writing down four things at the end of each day that you’re grateful for, you’ll spend your whole day looking for wonder, I promise you, and you’ll almost always find more than four.
In the Candymakers books Logan lists the things he’s grateful for each night before he goes to bed, and look how happy HE is! (although of course that might have something to do with living inside a candy factory, but you get the point. ;o). Top on my list for today (and every day) are my loved ones of course, but so are the readers out there opening book covers and falling into other worlds. You all know the power of being transported somewhere else, and returning to yourself feeling changed in some way. Thank you for taking my books with you on your journeys, and for trusting me to enough to let my stories live inside you. I will never take that for granted. Without the editors, librarians, teachers, and booksellers who have the seemingly magical gift of getting the right books into the right kids’ hands, I’d never be sitting here about to start book number twenty-one, so my deepest appreciation to you all. I wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe holiday season. A few thoughts to leave you with on gratitude, passion, and hard work…
If you’d like to order any personalized/signed books as gifts for the holidays (or anytime) you can do it through my local bookstore–I go in and sign them, they send them, someone reads them. Easy peasy! ps. Thank you anyone who has commented on previous blogs, and thank you for your patience in waiting for them to show up. pps: This was originally sent out to readers who signed up on the mailing list on wendymass.com, feel free to do that if you haven’t. Thanks!
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Hi Wendy, I just wanted to say that one thing I’m greatful for is your books. I love how I can pick one up and know that I’ll love it because I’ve loved every book I’ve read that was written by you. I can’t pick a favorite because I like all of them for different reasons. One thing that I’ve noticed in your books that I like is how far ahead you have to think when writing. That’s not something that I can do easily. I also love how you can make really unbelievable things happen in totally believeable ways and deal with real life situations in an interesting and informative way without taking away from the story. I’m actually a writer myself but I’ve been dealing with writers block for months and I hate everything that I write even though people tell me that it’s really good but I feel like I can write better like the books that make you think while still maintaining suspended disbelief. Any idea on how I can improve my writers block…or the quality of my writing?
Thank you so much for your lovely thoughts! Just the way you put that comment together lets me know what a great writer you are. It’s true that you need to think ahead, but it’s not as hard as it sounds–i pretty much use the same format/process to write each book, even though they’re all (hopefully!) very different. In the “Resources” tab on my website you’ll find an article describing “blueprinting” your novel. This helps you plot things out ahead of time in an easy (ish!) and fun way. Maybe it will help you…other than that, keep reading and taking writing classes, you never know what will stick and be that “aha” moment. Have fun with it! All my best to you! Wendy
Can you make any Twice Upon A Time books about:
* Mulan
* Snow White
* Jasmine
* Tiana
Or…
* Ariel
Please?
Thanks again!
Love your books so much!
🙂
i will put this in my “to think about” file. Thank you for reading!!
That sounds so awesome, this really helped me because I’m doing a report on you in school and I needed to know more about you. Really want to get one of those signed books now. You are my favorite author I hope one day that I will meet you if you come to my school.
Hello Wendy,
My daughter loves your books and is hoping you are planning to write another Candymakers book… she is just finishing up the second. Any chance you’re planning a third?
No plans for a third at this point but please thank your daughter for enjoying my books. Tell her it means a lot to me. 🙂
Dear Wendy Mass,
You are an AMAZING AUTHOR!
You insipired me to write stories that I hope to one day publish!
The Great Chocolate Chase (which I read and finished the day it was released) was no exception for you amazing writing skills! I have to say, it made me cry hard when I finished the book because I was happy, yet confused until I realized what it meant, I also cried because it was over. I think that it was EXTREMELY kind of you- no that’s an understatement- it was awesome-sauce of you to include the ideas that people (such as myself) had for the slogan for the Harmonicandy!
You are such an awesome-sauce person and I cannot wait to read your next book!
From,
Eleanor
Dear Eleanor
I can feel that same way when I finish reading a good book and writing a book. It can feel like you are saying a big goodbye to the characters. Thank you for sharing this. xo
I love Wendy mass thank you especially for the willow falls series!!!!!!!
Dear Wendy Mass,
I am 14 years old and a huge fan of your book A Mango Shaped Space! I had never heard of something like Synesthesia before, and I’ve done so much research on it since. It’s just so fascinating, I wish I had it! I think your such a great writer, and I really hope you write another book in addition to A Mango Shaped Space. I’m actually supposed to be writing a biography you right now, but I need some more information about you…current life & at least two in text citations. Thanks so much!!
-Sarah(:
Hi Sarah
Thank you for loving Mango so much to do a report on it. This reply might be a little too late but you can find a bunch of info on me in this very website in the about me section and there is more info on the fun stuff page. Hope this helps. 🙂
Wendy, I just wanted you to know that one of the very first book reviews on our new site is by a ten-year-old who loves “Candymakers.” You can see the review at http://www.kidseyebooks.com. Feel free to share it – Thanks!
Hi Wendy, i just wanted to say that the Candymakers is really good and now I am reading a Mango Shaped Space and so far it’s really good. I want to read a lot of your other books too.
I love your books! I’m 12 and I read The Candymakers and A Mango shaped space. They are soooooooooooooooo good! Keep up the good work, I look forward to more great books:)
Dear Ms. Mass aka Passion Sharer,
Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world. You have touched my family (1 son, 2 daughters, and myself) in a very special way. We are NEW fans of the Willow Falls series. I am extremely grateful of our moments in the car listening to your books. You have given me many sacred moments of peace and pure joy such as: * no bickering, pinching, arguing siblings in the car, * family dialogues about which characters we will encounter next, * a pet toad named Rory after your character * quiet sanity time for myself during a divorce and career change, * being a role model as a real person modeling living life as God intended, etc. I am THANKFUL for you doing YOU! And to think I have only read 2.5 books of yours…. I CAN NOT WAIT TO ENJOY the Wendy Mass roller coaster of awesomeness. You go girl! Sincerely, A Mother, A Teacher, and A Fellow Woman of Gratitude (Stacy)
Hi Stacy! Ah, keeping kids quiet in the car is every author’s goal, lol! I’m SO glad you guys found the Willow Falls books! Do you really have a new pet toad named Rory?? I’m honored!!!! Poor Rory in the book, I had such fun making things go wrong for her. I still giggle when I think about her, ;o). Your note was really sweet, thank you for connecting with me and for letting me connect with you through the books, it’s a privilege that I don’t take lightly xo! Hugs to you and your wonderful kids!!
I just finished “Heaven looks a lot like the Mall”. I’m 55 years old and got this book recommended from Google. It was one of ten listed but caught my eye. I know this is young adult but I love to read no matter. I just have to say I LOVE this book and went right out a bought a copy for my granddaughter to read. Wonderful dosen’t do it justice. Great book!!
Hi Hope, that is SO nice to hear! I really enjoyed writing that book and don’t get to hear much feedback about it. I’m glad you stumbled across it! I felt like my daughter was finally ready to read it and I don’t have any copies in my house. I’d have to buy my own book lol! ;o).
Thanks again!
Wendy