SSR Response #1

[Angie]

If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations from the book. Integrate at least one vocabulary word (capitalize the word). Include the title and author of the book.

[Angie]

If I had the opportunity to converse with , author of Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption , I would have TONS to say and ask. While I’m only about 100 pages into the POIGNANT 400-page book, so much has happened and the writing is so rich, that I am confident we could talk for hours. I would start our conversation by asking her about her research process. The chapter I just finished, titled “Five Hundred and Ninety-four Holes,” relayed a mission gone awry with vivid detail. I could see, taste, touch, and smell every moment—from the exploding sharks to the spurting blood. I noticed that the Notes in the back of the book painstakingly outline her sources: telephone interviews, diary entries, newspaper articles, etc. So, my question isn’t so much WHERE she found her information, but more her process of collecting and organizing it. I can’t imagine writing a 400-page book that includes this level of detail AND attributes sources so painstakingly! Before Hillenbrand and I would wrap up our conversation, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell her how much I appreciated the carefully selected photographs she included. For example, Hillenbrand closed the same chapter with a small portrait of Harry Brooks, looking very young and brave. This portrait followed her deft description of his fate: “Technical Sergeant Harold Brooks died one week before his twenty-third birthday. It took more than a week for word to reach his widowed mother, Edna, at 511 ½ Western Avenue in Clarkville, Michigan. Across town on Harley Road, the news reached his fiancée, Jeannette Burtscher. She learned that he was gone nine days before the wedding date that they had set before he left for the war” (104). Wow.

[Steven]

If I was to meet with Alison Goodman author of "Eon: Dragoneye Reborn" I would tell her that I wished the first 50 pages were more interesting. I would ask if she was going to right a prequel about what happened when the Mirror Dragon became “The Lost Dragon” (maybe she already has I don’t know). I would tell her that the sheer detail of Eon’s coming into being a Dragoneye is very POIGNANT and I enjoyed it a lot. I would ask Alison to tell me more about Eon’s time on “the salt farm” and more of why her master would risk terrible shame by concealing her as a boy so she can be a candidate. In the chapter I am reading Eon has woken up to find he is now considered a lord and a Dragoneye only proceeded in power and wealth by the Imperial family.

[Grant]

My book is “Fallen Angels” by Walter Dean Myers. If I could ask the author any question I would probably ask him if the book is a collection of true stories that he lived through in the Vietnam War just written in a fictional manner or whether it is just a work of pure fiction. I am interested to know because he writes the book in the first person and it contains similar themes from some of his other books about his personal life that come up time and again about his background growing up in Chicago. I would also ask if there is a reason Peewee represents anyone he know personally because the Peewee character is very detailed and specific and I was wondering if his character was representative of someone real. The book isn’t incredibly MAUDLIN and I would probably ask if he left out any gross details or incredibly violent or gruesome scenes because the book is obviously for young adults. The bit of interaction between Perry and Lobel is very interesting to me because it shows the inner most thoughts of the two individuals when they are forced to be on watch late at night. The company of the two men introduces primal instincts and fears that the two men face, which was a fascinating and POIGNANT moment.

[Severin]

If I had the opportunity to meet , author of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I would have a few things to say. Although I've only read a couple chapters in the book, I am very satisfied as it jumps right into the conflict. I wouldn't have very many questions, however, I would give her a lot of praise. I enjoy the Harry Potter series very much because it is very suspenseful and dark, yet can also be very ordinary and AFFABLE.

[Weston]

Well.... I haven't gotten very far into my book, Hunger Games, because I’m occupied with TTTC outside of school. If I met Suzanne Collins, the author of Hunger Games, I would tell her the book already has me grabbed and I have only read the first 15 pages. I would tell her this is the first book that has ever grabbed my attention this fast. I usually lose interest in a book fast if it hasn't had any excitement or suspense and Hunger Games does this very well with the main character Katniss and her AFFABLE personality. I don't have many questions quite yet because I’m not very far into the book. If I were to ask one question right now, it would be why the reapings are for children only? I think it'd be more entertaining if it were adults put into the games. Why choose children when they could be weak or not able to fend for themselves? I think it's children because if parents had to leave no one would be left to help the family and this would be especially devastating in situations like the families in Katniss’ district because the children would have no source of food or water. That is the only question I have where I am now, but other than that the book is interesting.

Angie wrote: "If I had the opportunity to converse with , author of Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption , I would have TONS to say and ask. While..."

[Audrie]

If I could talk to Jodi Picoult, the author of The Pact, a book I am currently reading I would have a lot to ask her. Not only would I ask her questions about the Pact, like “how did you get the inspiration to write this book?” or “why did you decide to start the story where you did instead of introducing the characters more before such a big event happened?” I would also ask her questions about her other books like My Sisters Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, and Handle with Care which I have also read. I would have to ask questions like “why does someone die in most of your books?” “why do your books always contain a Dour character?” or “why do you always seem to have court cases or hospitals in your books?” after asking her these questions I would go on to tell her how much I admire her writing and how well she evokes emotions in her audience with her words, like on page 18 when she said “ Gus heard her own breathing providing a backbeat for the thin drip, drip of Chris’s IV. His eyes were glassy with sedatives, unfocused with fear. Gus sat down on the edge of the bed and cradled him in her arms.” I would end the conversations by asking her if she plans to write anymore book in the future and which of her books did she enjoy writing the most and why.

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

Jodi PicoultThe Pact

[Weston]

Well.... I haven't gotten very far into my book, Hunger Games, because I’m occupied with TTTC outside of school. If I met Suzanne Collins, the author of Hunger Games, I would tell her the book already has me grabbed and I have only read the first 15 pages. I would tell her this is the first book that has ever grabbed my attention this fast. I usually lose interest in a book fast if it hasn't had any excitement or suspense and Hunger Games does this very well with the main character Katniss and her AFFABLE personality. I don't have many questions quite yet because I’m not very far into the book. If I were to ask one question right now, it would be why the reapings are for children only? I think it'd be more entertaining if it were adults put into the games. Why choose children when they could be weak or not able to fend for themselves? I think it's children because if parents had to leave no one would be left to help the family and this would be especially devastating in situations like the families in Katniss’ district because the children would have no source of food or water. That is the only question I have where I am now, but other than that the book is interesting.


Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Rachael]

If I was given the opprotunity to speak with Rick Rordain, I would ask him where he gets his inspirations from? The Greek based original series was amazing to say the least and had so much history incorperated in it. Although when I read this "Lupa told him he is a demigod" it threw a curve ball. Now he plans to conjoin both Greek and Roman Mythology? I was a bit doubtful at first. Although I couldn't even make it through the first chapter without getting hooked. These series are so genius. They are the perfect combination of a thrilling adventurous heartwarming story of friendship and morals, and the POIGNANT history of two great nations Greece and Rome. When I found that there were now two demigod camps I was suprised and sure that this series would be just as good as the first. Not only do these books provide entertainment for me, but they are educational as well. The series has struck up an intrest in history and Greek mythology. History used to be my least favorite subject. Although after reading these books, I have done a complete 180. I now find a lot of enjoyement in history and studying our past. It is crazy how much one book can effect your opinion on something so broad. I have come to realize that relating history to the present life helps a lot. Rather than focusing on the usual drab old facts, I now read deeper. Rordains epic stories help me do this. The way he encorperates life today to events that happened forever ago, is truely a gift. I wish I had the imagination it took to unfold these great books. am both excited and sad to finish the series.

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Jake]

If I had the option of a conversation with Cormac McCarthy, author of The Road I would have to ask about the symbolism in the book, and what might be ment to be symbols in which I may have overlooked. Firstly I would have to ask the significance [if there is any] of the ship near page 160. In which the Father and the Son come across, and the father swims out to despite the freezing waters to gain useful materials. I consider this kind of a Mouse in a maze if you would. In that the the Father must pass a trail to get the 'cheese', I may be off but again, it is something that I am curious about. Also I would ask the purpose of keeping the Father and Son nameless? As they are important charactors, I could imagine it being a new way in which McCarthy works in effort of getting a RETICENT feel across toward the readers. Almost finished with the book I am quite frustraited on how I soon will have the ending known, and this effortless struggle for the Father and Son to cross this wasteland that is America.

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Haley]

"What made you think this was excellent work, or even work worth publishing?" ...Written by Elsie and Ralph Benedict, “How to Analyze People on Sight" is a horribly racist, pedantic, misleading book with no claim-supporting evidence and backed by poor writing at best. I might ask to know about the "friends" they so commonly refers to as "examples," (illegitimately, of course, as we, the readers, have no CLUE who his friends are or what they think and say and feel). Honestly, I would be less hostile in person, but I would have little praise for this book. Just to give you an idea, the first of five (only five) personality types is dubbed the “Alimentive” was described as this: “Never take anything too seriously is an unconscious policy of fat people. They show it plainly in their actions and speech. The very fat man is seldom a brilliant conversationalist. He is often a "jollier" and tells stories well, especially anecdotes and personal experiences.” And that’s just the start. Awful. Absolutely dreadful. I will finish it, but only because it’s my silent policy. I wonder what this couple was thinking in their attempt to explain things they themselves don’t understand.

[Angie]

If I could meet Nicholas Sparks, author of The Lucky One, and many other love stories, I would ask him if any of his books are true, and if not how did he come up with the story. So many of his books have been made into movies and I’d like to know how he felt about that. That must be a real accomplishment for him. I’m currently reading another one of his books Message in a Bottle, and have seen a few of the movies that were made based on his books. I’d tell him how I appreciate the little bits of suspense in his books. For instance in The Lucky One, the main character is looking for a woman and when he finds her he can’t seem to find a way to tell her how he knows her. In the book Message in a Bottle a women finds many letters written from a man about the women he loves. He puts the letters in bottles and lets them float to their destination. The main character is on a mission to find the man who writes these letters and secretly she begins to fall in love with him. I would also like to tell him how I appreciate that not all his books have happy endings, it makes them more relatable.

[Shayla]

If I had the opportunity to meet with Lauren Conrad, author of L.A. Candy, I would be unbelievably excited. Before I started reading this book, I watched the MTV reality show called the Hills, which Lauren starred in I am almost finished with the book, so there is not much that I do not know about. Although, I still have a lot of questions I would ask her. The major question I would ask her is if her book is based off of The Hills. The characters seem very relatable. The main character in L.A. Candy, Jane, seems very similar to Lauren Conrad’s role in The Hills. . Out of all of the girls on the show and in the book, Lauren/Jane seems to be the most AFFABLE, always proving that she is a great friend and a pleasant girl. For example, Lauren got an internship for a fashion company, where she always worked for her snotty boss who scared her and did work on her Mac in her small office. In the book, Jane’s “blood [would] freeze” when Fiona, her boss, talks to her because “Fiona never called Jane into her office unless she was in trouble.”(138) This shows her fear of her boss and how she was never a pleasant and calm women. Lauren Conrad always worked at her desk and on her Mac, in The Hills, and in chapter 36 it says “Jane’s desk, along with her Mac,” which draws a comparison. Along with these examples, there are many others that I come across while I’m reading that tie back into the show. The other characters seem to play out like the reality show, so I would really like her to answer my question and tell me if any of the show influenced her book. L.A. CandyLauren Conrad

[Lindsey]

If I could speak with Shauna Seliy of "When We Get There," I would question her first why the synopsis was so misleading. I was actually irritated with how long-winded and philosophical the story was, in general. While it was indeed beautifully written, it was not beautifully written about what the synopsis claimed it was about. Based on the synopsis, one is led to think the story focuses on the violence between 13-year-old Lucas Lessar and his mother's boyfriend, Zoli. Instead, "When We Get There" focuses on Lucas' family history (i.e. how his great-grandfather came to America, how everyone thought the Hungarian language sounded like wishes, etc., etc). On top of that, I would wonder why Seliy took so long in even building the past. Yes, it explains things, but it was almost too much. It detered from the plot--which was I think was supposed to be Lucas searching for his disappeared mother--and was then interrupted by a run-through description of the mine in the city and the mine's history, as well. All in all, it was a decent book, but it'd have captivated my attention fully if it'd been about Zoli and Lucas versus Lucas and his family and the mine and everything ese BUT Zoli and Lucas.

[Ryan]

If I were to meet H. A. Dorfman and Karl Kuehl, the authors of The Mental Game of Baseball, I would just simply talk baseball with them. I love very little things more than I love baseball and I bet that these two men would provide for a very interesting conversation. One question that I would ask them would be how they gathered all of the information in their book, because there is a lot of it. The book covers so many aspects like setting goals (chapter 2), having a good attitude (chapter 6), and always keeping your confidence up (chapter 7). I would also love to know how they found all of the information and quotes that they gathered for different players such as Joe DiMaggio (106) and Don Mattingly (55). This book is the third edition, so I would be curious to know if they changed any of the information up as they were able to talk with more players/coaches. They possibly could have just updated some of the names of players to better suit a younger audience. Changing focus from the book, I would next ask them what they think of the changes that are occurring in baseball in today’s age. I’m guessing that they would be pretty old fashioned, so I can assume that they would not enjoy all of the new advances being made in the game. I bet they are AFFABLE to hold a conversation with and the fact that they love baseball would be icing on the cake. I would love to carry on a conversation with these two men about the game I love.

[Chase]

If I had the opportunity to talk with
, author of Inexcusable, I would have a ton of questions for him. The first one being what is this book supposed to be about? I understand the Keir is a "good guy" (107) but beyond that, what is the book trying to hit on? Quite frankly, the book doesn't have a true problem. One could argue that the problem is that Keir is having trouble finding his identity, but every teenager in the world has moments when they are not too sure about themselves. I know I am not done with the book yet, but as of now I do not see how the author could provide a poignant moment in the book. It is difficult to have a climax with no real problem. Also, when the author refers to "all this serious stuff" (113), what is he referring to? I know that the general idea is that there are a large number of drugs, but what kind of drugs? He never specifies which drug the main character takes and therefore leaves the reader in the dark. *side note- he does mention cocaine but leaves out which drugs he takes in the form of a pill* I like the Gigi character in the book, but the author spends so much time descrbing her features that he forgets to describe anything else about her, such as her personality, likes, dislikes, etc. Last but not least I have something I have always been curious about: how do adult authors write books from a teenager's point of view? How do authors even know that what they're putting on paper is accurate? Like when the author makes a reference to "the Kennedy brothers conferring over the Cuban Missile Crisis..."(74). I would like to regretfully inform all authors that if they think that quote would ever come from a teenager in a conversation with friends, then they are WAY off track. Here is a hint: most teenagers hardly know about the Cuban Missile Crisis, heck I only know about it because it was my assigned topic for my research project. Teenagers tend to cuss a ton, and when making comparisons will usually refer to popular singers or figures from THE SAME DECADE. Phew, sorry for the rant Ms. Hedges.


Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Katie]

If I was to meet with Nicholas Sparks, the author of Safe Haven, I would have many questions. Though I am only about halfway through the book, I would still have many things to talk about with Sparks. In the last 100 pages, multiple things have happened and the story is getting very exciting. The author does an exceptional job with describing exactly what each character is feeling and the specific events they go through. Though the book is fiction, I still have questions about why Sparks chose some specifics of the setting and characters. To start, I would ask why he chose to pick the setting of Southport, North Carolina. This town is very small and not many people live here. All of the books I have read by Nicholas Sparks also take place in North Carolina so that’s another question- why is North Carolina the setting for his books? Is there something special about this state? In Safe Haven, two characters start to really connect, Katie, who has a past with domestic abuse, and Alex, Katie’s new found love. I would ask Sparks why Katie felt so willing to jump into another relationship only months after being abused for years by her husband? This POIGNANT story tells how two completely separate and opposite lives can come together and create a completely new, blissful life.

[Allyson]

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

If I had the opportunity of a lifetime to sit down with Ellen DeGeneres, the author of Seriously...I'm Kidding, I don’t even know what I would say first. Ellen is such an AFFABLE person but at the same time she is a comedian so it would be difficult to get a real answer out of her. This shows in her chapter “The Secret of Life” she goes from talking about packing up a house to the procedures and tests that you must have done as you get older. This really can tell you her perspective about life that you just take it as it comes and never take anything too seriously. I would love to ask her how she lives her life that way and stays out of tabloid drama. Also, in the chapter “Babies, Animals, and Baby Animals” you find more information about her marriage and what her plans are. She says that her and Portia will never have kids, but I want to get her aspect on adopting and why they are so persistant about not having children. Lastly, she has an incredibly busy schedule with doing her talk show and appearances and at one time doing American Idol, I want to know how she kept going through all that without getting tired and staying all put together. I have a super busy schedule with dance and school work and a job that I am barely hanging on myself and I want to know how she does it so flawlessly. Seriously...I'm Kidding

[Bailey]

If I were to meet with Jodi Picoult and talk to her about Nineteen Minutes, I would probably ask her about her process writing the book rather than the contents. I would first tell her that I have read this book multiple times and still find it as interesting and shocking as my first read. I would ask her about how long it took her to do research and interviews of school shootings and school shooting survivors. I can only imagine how long the process writing this must have taken in order to get the full understanding details of a tragedy like this one. I would also ask her for more clarification on the main character Josie. Why is she so suicidal before the shooting? It could not possibly be because of her and Matt’s relationship even though it is not exactly healthy and AFFABLE. Why is she so afraid to reveal what was “underneath her raw skin” instead of hiding “what has been painted on it” (8)? I would also ask her if she feels like high school is MERCURIAL to peoples’ minds and emotions. She portrays most of the characters dynamically and how they change aside from the shooting. I would also ask her about the first part regarding the fish in the “the Day After” chapter because I don’t exactly see the relevance of “only having one bowl to explore” and I don’t quite understand the rhetorical strategy used. (93) Other than that I would probably fan girl over her because I have read other books by her and she is one of my favorites.

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Bradie]

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

If I had a chance to meet Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, I would probably gush for a few minutes about how she is the first famous person I have ever met and then I'd act ditzy and giggly until I regained self-control. Then I would immediately start in with lots of questions and comments…just enough to make her feel even more uncomfortable than she probably already is. I am only 266 pages in (so just about halfway) but I am already emotionally connected to the characters. I would ask her where she got her ideas for the main character’s love interest, Oliver. I would tell her that if he was a real person I would totally be hard-core crushing on him. I would also ask why Oliver kisses her while waiting in line at the airport, and why did he say “What the hell” before he did so (p. 177). I mean…whoa there, home boy… Ya’ll just met. It was super cute though, so if it happened to me I would not complain. Not one bit. I would ask if she thinks the story is very realistic. Personally, Hadley and Oliver meeting and bonding on the airplane seems very similar to the last time I went to airport, except my mom was there too, talking the guy’s ear off, and then when we all stood up I had about 3 or 4 inches on the guy and decided to avoid him after that. I also want to ask her why she adds so much detail to her parents’ divorce and her father’s new bride, such as the wedding ring details and how they interacted. Also, why the heck did her dad just let her run off through London in the middle of the reception?! SO UNSAFE! I would also tell Jen that she made me want to see London. I had always imagined it as a dull, dreary, DOUR place, but the way she spoke of the gardens and brightly colored houses seemed fantastic. I would end by trying to awkwardly hug and/or take a picture with her and then I would leave and tweet about it.

[mikayla]

If I was able to have the opportunity to meet with Jodi Picoult, the author of Lone Wolf and many captivating novels, I would ask her so many questions causing her to never want to meet one of her fans again. This is partly because I have only barely scratched the surface of this novel (50 pages deep) and I have no clue where this story is going. I have read many other Picoult novels and there is ALWAYS a twist at the end and secrets that come out, so I would like to know what kind of treat she has in store with this one. The most pressing question I would ask specifically is exactly how she got her background for this story. Her main character Luke WARREN is a kind of recluse that eats, sleeps, and breathes with wolves. Literally. He eats raw meat. Then he is in this horrible car accident in which no one knows if he will recover or not. But Jodi seems to have extensive research with how packs of wolves have “intrapack bickering” and the different levels of members which she compares to the mafia (21). As well as in the hospital there is a doctor talking all this gibberish of “a temporal lobe hematoma, a subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intraventricular hemorrhage” but seems so completely at ease with these terms (30). So where is all this knowledge coming from!? She’s amazing!


Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Rony]

If I had the chance to be able to talk with , author of the book i'm reading The Red Pyramid, the Percy Jackson series, and many others, I would have to ask how does he get all the imformation he puts in his books, and if he researches them. This is kind of a silly question, but if you read his books, and see the places the characters go, and what they symbolize is actually pretty logical. In the chapter "A Picnic in the Sky", the main characters get teleported to the U.S., and how Riordan explains it makes sense, "So you got the default portal for the U.S.-- the largest single source of Egyptian power in North America...The Washington Monument"(239). If you think about it, obelisks were first created in Egypt, and the author explains how Egyptian structures can have Egyptian power that they can use. Riordan does this throughtout the whole book, and he also does it in his previous books. It's amazing how he can make his stories so versimililtude to beleive. Another question I would ask is how he has such a huge imagination to be able to come up with the story and the all the adventures. The adventure and the journey the characters take in the book in amazing. Basically the brother, Carter, accompanies his father across the world because he's an archeaologist, until one day his father tries to release a god from a tablet, who them realeases a evil god who traps him into a coffin. Then the character and his sister would travel around the world, making friends, and training just to get ready and try to save their father from dying and to also stop half of America from being destroyed. It sounds just as simple as that, but it's actually a lot more complex and I would want to know how he comes up with the stories.

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Keyshawn]

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

If I met with Tolkien, author of "The Hobbit" I would be extremely excited for him to inspire my comparitavely PEDANTIC mind. I would ask him how he got his inspiration for such a massive, vivid, living world and how he kept it all under control. What were his inspirations for different creatures like the mountain giants that attack the company. I would ask him if any of the encounters were inspired by real life expierences; is the at-first unadventurous, dull character Bilbo based on anyone? How long did it take him to make various language? I'm sure it would be otherworldly.

[Evan]

The book Fallen Angels, written by Walter Dean Meyers, writes about a man that has gone to war in Vietnam. Each movement in Vietnam is a struggle as the soldiers compete with the Vietcong themselves and also the dense jungle. If I were to get the chance to talk with Mr. Meyers I would have a few questions over his Poignant and bestselling novels. The First question I would have to ask if he was ever involved in the war and what he did in the war if he was. I think it would interesting to hear if the experiences depicted in the book are similar or more fictional than his actual life during the Vietnam War. At one point in the book Meyers mentions “seeing his other brothers at the truck” (13) which leads me to think that he was in a fairly uncomfortable position, and could have been black since Mr. Meyers is also black. Another question I would like to ask Mr. Meyers would be what his opinions on the war in Vietnam. It would be interesting to hear from the author of an extremely successful Vietnam War what his actual position or feelings on the war. I think that he would be fairly negative towards the war, considering his resentment for his first army officer. (5) Talking to Walter Dean Meyers would definitely be a great way to learn huge amounts of back-story into this powerful book.


Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Marilyn]

If I had the opportunit to converse with , Author of [book:Inside The Brain: Revolutionary Discoveries of How the Mind Works|49277, I would ask him more about the child development of the brain becuase he talked about it briefly in the introduction, when he mentioned how young kids learn the sound of thier native language by the first syear of being born, but didn't go into detail. Then again, it was only the introduction. I would also like to ask him about what inspired the book. The book is generally basic but he inserts a lot his own interest in the subject which makes me think that in his life something made him develop an intrest in the subject I don't have the book but he throws in really weird phrases like the "the brain swallows bits and chunks of..." in the first chapter when expressing his amazement of its processing. It was kind of gross personification and I loved it. I'd love to have a cup of tea and discuss our interest together!

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

[Aubrye]

If I had the opportunity to meet Sarah Dessen, the author of Lock and Key, there would definitely be some questions I would want to ask her. While to plot is fairly straight forward, what I would be interested in would be her inspiration for writing the story itself. A POIGNANT novel about a teenage girl who goes to live with her sister after her mother is deemed an unfit guardian, I can only imagine where Dessen came up with such a diverse group of characters and background. Dessen successfully created a headstrong main character that had been living in DOUR conditions where “pots and pans piled in the sink” and the smell of rotting food fill[ed] [her] nostrils” for entire life, and slowly building up how a more AFFABLE family begins to change her (page 87). I would ask Dessen if she had personal experience in a dysfunctional family or if the situation has some other sentimental meaning to her, and perhaps about what she was like as a teenager as well. My conversation with Dessen would be more about her and how her life growing up affects her writing toady, as I think it would be very interesting to know more about the thought process of writing a book with such a delicate plot. I figure that she must know about different economic situations based on the drastic change in setting through her book, so I think that would be a topic we could talk about as well. To discuss Sarah Dessen’s book with the author herself would be a treat like no other.

Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."

Angie wrote: "If I had the opportunity to converse with [authorimage:Laura Hillenbrand], author of Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption , I would have TONS to say and ask. While..."




Angie wrote: "If I had the opportunity to converse with [authorimage:Laura Hillenbrand], author of Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption , I would have TONS to say and ask. While..."

[Cristina]

If I could meet with Nicholas Sparks, the author of Nights In Rodanthe, I would ask him many questions based on his story. First, the location chosen for this novel- Rodanthe- is far away from the United States. The exact location, an Inn with the “darkest lighthouses” lay far from everything else in the city, but it still appeared to be AFFABLE and tiny (65). I understand that by this setting, Adrianne and Paul are able to depend on each other. The peacefulness and aloof location brings them together as they get to know each other. I would like to confirm with Sparks that the setting in fact does affect the relationship between the two. At the same time, I would ask Nicholas Sparks more details about Rodanthe. Secondly, I am not halfway through the book. Therefore, I want to know if the past of both Adrianne and Paul have an effect on their future relationship. Adrianne had a “spiraling downward marriage” and I wonder if this could affect her thoughts towards Paul… such as trust, confrontation, or sharing of views (47). These are all conflicts that Adrianne had with her previous husband. On the other hand, I would like to additionally ask Sparks about Paul and the effect of his medical years on his older life. Paul has dealt with sentimental people. He has also been in tough situations as a surgeon, and has experienced many disturbing scenes. Would this affect the way that Paul would act towards Adrianne in the future? I want to know soon so I would definitely ask Sparks. I would also compliment Sparks for his ability to quickly introduce two strangers that develop an instant connection. I love it!

[Paige]

If I had the opportunity to speak with Jonathan Safran Foer, the author of the POIGNANT novel, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, I would first have to offer a lot of praise, as his book was captivating and emotional. But I would also have many questions to ask, not out of criticism, but out of true wonder on how he came to write this book. I would have to ask the obvious questions first, “What made you write this book? How did you come up with the idea? What inspired you?”, and I truly want to know these answers, as Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close was such a change from his debut novel, Everything is Illuminated. His first novel took place in the Ukraine and was written with a mixture of language. Though, like Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Foer presents a novel of a journey to find answers and of multiple stories linking together as one. Foer’s second novel takes place in New York City, two years after the attack on 9/11. As gut-wrenching as that time already is, it is even more emotional from the voice of Oskar Schell, a nine year old boy with Asperger’s (though Foer never out-right says it). Oskar goes on a “journey” through the city, looking for a particular lock, for a particular key that he found in a vase in his dads closet. Oskar meets many people, sees different walks of life and becomes close to an old man, who happens to be his grandpa (though he does not yet know it). All the while, he felt he was losing his dad all over again, “his time with his dad was running out”, but the more he failed to find the key, the more he wanted to find it. And the more he searched to find answers, the farther he became from his mother. And the more he drew away from his mother, the more his mother came close to him. I would want to know how Jonathan Foer designed this journey, how he designed each and every person that Oskar met, all of whom had a unique story of their own. And I would want to know how he “designed” Oskar and managed to write from his point of view so well. You really feel like you are reading the novel from the voice of a boy with Asperger’s going through an emotional trauma. The journey is devastatingly emotional and hilarious at the same time; it makes you laugh out loud and cry on the same page. And believe me, this book will leave you with “heavy boots”.



Angie wrote: "If you were able to meet with author of your book right now, what would you say to him or her? What questions would you ask? Support your response with at least two specific details or quotations f..."