Blog-o-rama, Here We Go!
Welcome to my first blog, and my new and improved web site. I hope you enjoy looking around. If there’s anything you don’t see here that you’d like to, please leave a comment below. You’ll notice on my contact page that my email address has changed.
I’ll be using this space partly to talk about book stuff—what books I’m loving, what new projects I have going on, and fun stuff like the fact that my first novel, A Mango-Shaped Space, is going to be made into a Manga comic in Korea! Mango/Manga, I guess it was fated to be.
I’d really like this to be interactive. Feel free to say what’s on your mind and I will too. I’m big on making lists. I honestly couldn’t function in life without a daily list. I even have to write “shower” on my list or else I might forget. So, in no particular order, here are some things on my mind today:
1. Since my New Year’s resolutions (things like work out more, eat candy less) usually just get transferred to the list the following year, I’ve decided to go easy on myself this year and do something that I might actually have a chance of sticking to. In 2008, I resolve not to click on any headline that has the words “Britney” and “Spears” in it. If I had back all the time I’ve spent reading about her antics (and those of her celebrity peers), I could have written another book! Plus, I’m starting to feel sorry for her. Can you imagine if your every waking moment was documented for the world to see? I shudder at the thought.
2. Quote of the day: “Most of the shadows in this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson. I used this quote in Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life because I liked it so much. Emerson was talking about how we put limitations on ourselves and hold ourselves back. Life has a way of doing this all on its own; it doesn’t need our help. If we always tell ourselves negative things, we’ll start to believe them. I invite all of you to join me in this one—dwell on the positive, give yourself a break, don’t block your own sunshine.
3. When I write a book I always have to figure out the title before I can start writing. I work really hard at coming up with the right title to reflect the kind of book it is. Some are easier and some take more time. For instance, it took me weeks to come up with Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall, while Leap Day was pretty obvious since the book takes place on Leap Day. So when I see a great title on a book in the store, it always catches my attention. Favorite book title of the day, spotted in Borders in Rockaway, NJ: Stop Dressing your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank. Love it!
4. My mother recently made me a scrapbook of my childhood. I couldn’t believe the things she’d kept. My pre-school diploma! A photo of me in our driveway where the snow is taller than I am. The stuffed purple shark I got a “D” on in sewing class in eighth grade (do they still HAVE sewing class??). She also saved my diary from 5th grade. It ends abruptly when one of my sisters found it hidden under my mattress and told the boy I had a crush on that I liked him. I never kept a diary again. Lesson learned: never hide anything under your mattress, that’s the first place snooping sisters look! In my next blog I’ll include some funny passages from the diary.
5. Ok, it’s getting late and I have the second half of Season Three of LOST to watch on DVD before Season Four starts in a few weeks. I’ve gotta say, this Writer’s Guild strike is giving me a lot of extra time at night with no new sitcoms to watch. Although as a card-carrying member of the Guild, I do hope it ends soon so everyone can get back to work. (Not too soon though. It has also come in handy when my husband asks me to do something around the house. I simply shake my head and say, “I can’t, I’m on strike.”)
Cheers, and Happy New Year!
Wendy
umm….hi..this is bianca and im am soo glad that you have changed your website ( i think it looks Fantastic!) and the blog is just super! ( hehe those are not the only words i use..) and by the way i have nothing to tell thats wrong because everything is doing great!
Thank you so much for the great book writing ( your books keep me occupied when there’s no shows on Tv because of the Writer’s Strike.And by the way your my favorite author!)
~thank you!!
As for resolutions, I take the Katie Couric approach of having the same of one year after year — floss more.
I mean, the person who declared the need to saw string between his or her teeth, day after day, really had a keen eye for detail or not much of a life. Maybe both.
Easy Slide Mint Waxed, let’s try it again, shall we?
Love the site’s new look. Cheers and all the best in ’08 …
Wow, I love your site, Wendy! I also happen to love your books. 😀 My favorite ones are A Mango-Shaped Space and especially Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall. I think you should consider writing another novel in verse since you did that one so well! I can’t wait until your next book is available.
P.S. I love the title Stop Dressing your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank, too! In fact, I wish I could buy the book for a mom I know – I think she could probably get some use out of it. 😉
OMG it is so nice to be talking (kinda) to you. I love your book “Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life” it was the best book i have ever read. I stayed up until 2am last night so I could finish it. I was so sad when I finished. You should so right a sequal. Thank you so much for righting this book. It truly has shown me the meaning of LIFE.
A VERY grateful fan,
Lillie
Lillie, i totally agree with you on that book, Jeremy Fink and The Meaning of Life (and A Mango-Shaped Space) is ( are) the best book(s)i have ever read, Wendy is a great author, and I also think that you should go strait to the sequal.
~bianca ^.^
Hey Wendy! Yup, we do still have sewing class. I had to make a drawstring bag and I aced it!(luckily…) I have officially read all your books and am a HUGE fan! Thanks!
Kudos on the new site!
Mango Manga congrats . . . I’m picturing it mostly in B&W, with colour illustrations bursting out when she sees them.
Your mom sounds thoughtful and sweet.
Hi Wendy!
I love your books, and your new site. 🙂
And by the way, yes, there are still sewing classes. Not fun. 😉
Anyways, again, I love your new site 🙂
xxooxx,
jordan. 🙂
I love your website. It is much easier to get around than before. I still have to read Heaven Looks a lot like the Mall because Borders doesn’t have it. I’ve been looking for it since September and haven’t found it. Borders has been very dissappointing lately. It’s not only your book I can’t find. I’ll have to get my mom to drive me to Barnes and Nobles tomorrow. I can’t wait to read Heaven looks a lot like the Mall and your upcoming books.
Dear Wendy,
I have only read one of your books but I am going to read all of the others. I read A Mango Shaped Space. On some of the pages there are little crinkly spots from where my tears landed. I am forcing my friends to read that book.
The real reason I am writing is because I am a fellow writer and I am having writers block. Even though I am still a kid… it can happen. I thought, since I loved your books…why not ask you for advice? So what I am asking is, Can you add to your blog things for fellow writers like me? Like how to choose a topic, a title, and a bunch of other things.
I love writing and even though my teachers at school give me stratigies, it’s not the same. The point of writing is to write down what you want to and your feelings. And in school you write down pretty much what they want you to write down.
Thanks…Rachel
I got a D in a 7th grade sewing project…. I thought the teacher would be impressed with my creativity when I made up my own pattern instead of using the teacher’s….
um, no.
Nice new website! xo
Hi Wendy,
Your new site looks great! So cool!
Hope all’s well with you, and hope to see you again soon.
Best,
Sarah
Hi Wendy,
Great site, great blog, great things to ponder.
Hope your 2008 is filled with the stuff dreams are made of.
All the best,
Robin
Gotta say, major props on the site makeover. Hmm.. Extreme Website Makeovers? The old layout threw me into a state of confusion. My eyes widened when I hit the enter button; I almost thought I had typed in the address wrong. But nope, there’s the name WENDY MASS in big, bold, violet letters.
Good Luck with future books! =D
Wow…I have absolutely no idea what to say… You are like the best author ever! I was at Barnes & Noble one day, and I had no idea what to get so I basically just picked up a random book and bought it, which is something I never do…I mean NEVER. But I am SOOOO glad that I did it that day, because if I hadn’t I would never have read A Mango Shaped Space. I think it was meant to be!!! 😀 I really want to read your other books, but I can never find them at Borders!!! ROAR!!! I must go to Barnes & Noble again…I haven’t been in two years, but they seem to have a much better selection than Borders. Really sorry, I ramble a lot when I’m nervous. But anyway, to the point: A Mango Shaped Space is my favorite book ever, and I have read a lot of really good books. Excellent website by the way!
Thanks! One of your many #1 fans,Bryonna
Hi I am Mary. I am 13 years old and am in miidle school. And I love your books I have read Heaven looks alot like a mall and leap day. But I think you should write more girl books. It feels like the main character is right next to you and you are talk to her and listening to her problems. All I ask is to write more girl books.
I love all of your books and am glad that I read them.
Hi Wendy! I LOVE your books. My favorites are the “Twice Apon A Time” series. I wish you would write more. Maybe Cinderella, or Little Red Ridding Hood. That would be awesome. Anyway, I LOVE YOUR BOOKS!!!!!!!
I LOVE your books. I hope you get this message! XOXOXOXOXO Paige
I love your book Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. You should make it a series. I love it! Also thanks for all your hard work.
-thanks
Wendy H.
Hi Wendy,
I’m getting ready to read Mango with my classes and I figured I’d do a quick google to see if I could find anything new. What a great surprise to see your new website. It looks fantastic! Can’t wait to begin sharing Mango with my classes. How cool that they’re turning it into Manga.
Best,
Lori
I love your books!!
YOu are my favorite author.
Dear Wendy,
I love your books. Mostly A Mango Shaped Space. I have one question. How did you get your characters to be so…real? It is almost like I could be friends with one of them (Mia)
Well I just wanted to say I love you books!
Best,
Michelle
is there any more twice upon a time books that are not posted here
I’ve just finished A Mango-Shaped Space and loved it. (I work at Borders, and we are featuring it as Young Adult reading for summer. Very disappointed by comments about the Evil Competitor!)
Surprise: I thought there would be lots of comments from synaesthetes. I had a mild form of synaesthesia in childhood–letters and numbers had distinct colors, but that sense never interfered with my reading or math. You did a nice job of showing how this might get in a learner’s way, as well as how a teacher from my era might have reacted. I hope present-day teachers wouldn’t shut down a student so brutally, so excellent consciousness raising!
Did you know that there is a CD called “A Cat-Shaped Hole in My Heart,” about the loss of a beloved cat? I knew as soon as I picked up the book and saw the cover that a cat would die–extra purrs for you because you listed resources on loss of pets.
I enjoy reading kids’/YA books–and I’ll be recommending yours to my customers and friends.
i’m reading your book “twice upon a time” and so far it is a good book. hope you wrie more thanx,
bye
Hey are you making anymore Twice Upon a Time books because I just read Rupunzel and it was great! I am reading Sleeping Beuty now and I really want to know if you are making another one?
Hello Wendy,
thanks so much for writing all of your books! When I choose a profession, it will either be acting, singing, or writing! I love how you inspire all of your readers! Thanks again!
Monica
Hi Wendy,
Im One of Your favorite fans
I read A Mango Shaped Space, and Germy Fink and the Meaning of life more than 5 times.
Good Luck Wendy with your future books!!!!!!!!!!If you remember me Hafitha a girl at Elanor Van Gelder School (EVG school)
It was fun metting you and hearing what you had to say to us on Monday 6, 2009
Thanks Again!!!!,
Hafitha Dalia
Hey,even though i’m just 11,i love your books!I’ve read 1 and just started on A Mango Shaped Space.The first Mass-ively awesome is Every Soul A Star.(after i’m done with this one,i plan on getting Leap Day)So just wanted to ay hey to my fave author.
See-Ya,Bye!!
p.s.
who is YOUR fave author?(besides you)
you are my FAVORITE author
I really like your book ever soul a star.
I am reading Every Soul a Star and it’s GREAT!
Wendy you are the best that I told my own teacher to read one of your books!( 11 birthdays!!) Hope to write back to you later!!
– CHELSEA
I LOVE 11 BIRTHDAYS!!! it IS THE BEST
I ALSO LOVE THE REST BUT, IT WAS MY FAVORITE!!!
-CHELSEA(:
Hey Wendy!
I Love Your book Every soal a star!
It is the most amazing book I have ever read.
I would love it if you continue the book and write a series.
I also read your other books!
They are amazing!!!!
But I LOVE Every soal a Star the best!
I love astronomy, so it makes the book even more interesting!
You are the best Author!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks a lot
Neelima
Dear Wendy,
I loved your book jermey fink and the meaning of life. Have you ever thought of making it into a movie. I know a director who can do it. E-mail me.
Sincerely,Chase Holyoke
I LOVE 11 BIRTHDAYS ITS SOO COOL MY NAME IS YADIRA
GO WENDY!!
Hi wendy mass! we are probaly your bigest fans IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have read every book you have written and love them all!! your the best author in the world!
Hi Wendy! First I watned to let you know that I already tried to post a blog with my friends but I love your books soooooo much i felt the erge to write another one by myself! I have read Every Soul A Star, 11 Birthdays, and Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. They are my all time favorite books (Every Soul a Star is my faveorite out of the 3!) and I have read them all over a dozen times. I read your blog and I was wondering if you would ever consider making a visit to my middle school? My friends and I loveeeeeeeeeeeee you and hope you might consider it!
From, Skylar
hey wendy!!!! YOU ARE MT FAVORITE AUTHOR!!! I was wondering if you might considder coming to my school! I have read 11 birthdays and i am in the middle of reading Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. It is soooooo good! My friend Skylar also posted on your blog. We are both OBSESSED over your books. We are thinking about starting a Wendy Mass book club in our school because we thimk everybody should be able to have a chance to read your books.
from your #1 fan ALEXA
Hey Wendy!
I just finished reading Heaven Looks a Lot Like a Mall with my friend Alexa (we were reading it together and she has also posted on your blog) and we both LOVED IT! It is my second favorite book that was written by you (Every Soul a Star is still my favorite) and I felt really touched by the theme of the book. It was incredible! You are my favorite author!
From, you other #1 fan, SKYLAR
Hey Wedny, I LOVE your books!! My fav is……um….this is really hard to pick from, but I would have to say…a mango shaped space! I love that book and my favorite part of the book is the kiss secene. I also love the saddest part when mango dies. I just love that I have a cat too soo I really know how sad it is to have your cat die. (I always cry at that part. It’s just so sad.) I also LOVE 11 birthdays!! I made my sister read it she thought that it would be boring, but then she read it and shes like “Wow! This is a really great book I want to read more!!” Anyways, I LOVE your books please write more. If you can write them about people in Middle School because I like those books better.
( Oh and your my favorite author!!!!!!!!!!) From,
Kathrine
hey love your books and i really need to read more of your books!!!!! did you write any more i read jeremy fink and the meaning of life, 11 birthdays, every soul a star, a mongo shaped space,heaven looks alot like the mall, and leap day. ( i read them in that order.) do you have any more???? oh and i really think you should make 11 birthdays and a mango shaped space and jermy fink and the meaning of life into moives. that would AWESOME!!!!! i would LOVE TO SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I read 11 Birthdays on my 11th birthday!It was great!I also love A Mango Shaped Space 😀
Hi! My name is Sarah Jane. I’m about to turn 11 in January, and I just finished your book, ’11 Birthdays’ and it is so good! It was so good, I think it should be a movie!
I would also like to request you make a sequel of it with the SAME characters. (by the way, Amanda and Leo should get together!)
Also, I am a fellow writer. I’m in the middle of one book right now, but I got bummed out because somehow Disney manages to copy the exact same story!!! SO not fair!!!
email me back anytime at my mom’s address above. PS What does URL mean?
I can’t believe I found your blog!!! You are like my favorite author!!! I love your book! Every Soul A Star!! I am right in the middle of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. Please e-mail me!!!! It would mean soooooo much! I am ten. Please send me an e-mail!
Wendy, I just want to say I LOVE 11 Birthdays, I’ve read it about…. 4-5 times now I think? xD Haha, I’ll never get tired of picking it up and reading it on a rainy day. I’d love it if it became a movie, too! ^^
P.S. Someone like Jake T. Austin might make a great Leo…. if he wasn’t too old. 😉 I might even be able to play a character (probally the twin that always eats sugar, teehee) 😉
i read your book and i love !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it it was the frist book that i read for my book report it was 4 of july up at a lake and never went it it to busy reading 11 birthday geting ready to read finally do you have any other books for a 12 year old to read
hi i am geting ready to read a mango shaped space i can not wight to read it
I love your books they are always so surprising! So far i am reading Finally. It’s great!!!!! But i want to read the other books too.!!!
omg omg youre coming 2 my school this thursday so i thought i would read 1 of your books so i read “heaven looks a lot like the mall” i got it on friday and im a heavy reader so i was and still am in the middle of 6 or 7 books so on saterday i decied to take a break from the others and read it I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!! i spent from 1 o clock 2 5 o clock siting on my couch reading it im 11 almost 12 and cant wait untill u vist my school and for your next creations….
ps do you have a facebook fan site i hope you do keep writing
Hi my name Zarabeth and this is my first time visiting the website and I am so excited!! I am a BIG fan of 11 birthdays and 12 finally. Anyway, I noticed that there is no more contact page or address and i really wanted to write to you!! Also I have a question. Is there another book after 12 finally because I believe there is. And if there is what is the name of it because I just finished 12 finally and am anxious to start reading the next one in the series!! I know it says you don’t get a chance to write personally to everyone but I really hope that you will make an exception this time or at least answer this question in your blog for me.
P.S. I also signed up for author pals and am very anxious to get my first e-mail!!
Hello!!..(AGAIN) Nice site (not the first time iv’e been on it though). I LOVE your books! love the inside of your office!!, I love the W-R-I-T-E.I also LOVE the mosiac mirror, Love it!!!!,
Your #1 fan,
Kyra Bowlby (:
I’m in LOVE with your books but my favorites are the Willow Falls series. I’ve always wanted to ask you why in the series you never show their faces on the covers. I really want to see pictures!
I just am having a look at your blog. My own kids are now age 23 and 26. A much younger friend just mentioned that her daughter is reading the Candymakers, which led me to tell her the books that my kids and I read together. A Mango Shaped Space was my personal favorite ; it led to us finding out we have family members with this, and also led to my son doing research on synesthesia in college.
In My memory of Heaven Looks a Lot Like The Mall, The letters in the title on the cover looked like the font typical of usual mall sores, the H like the one used by Hallmark, for example. is this a false memory?
I’m so sorry I’m just seeing this now, I love that you and your kids shared Mango together and that’s so cool about your son researching it in college! I had a lot of fun learning about it while writing the book and it really started me on the pattern of writing books based on things that I was passionate about. You’re totally right about the original Mall cover, I had forgotten about that! Thank you so much for reaching out and I wish you and your family all the best for the holiday season 🙂
Hugs,
Wendy