What are Jack and Punzie up to now?
Like most of the creative arts, people don't get into writing books in order to make money (not if they're smart anyway). We write novels because we have characters and stories and words pressing us to do so. Most writers I know think of any income they make as a way to support their writing habit rather than as a career, because of course, the hourly wage would usually work out to be pretty pathetic. So a huge, HUGE reward for writers is to hear back from readers and see that our works have been read and impacted someone and made someone fall in love with reading or pass through a tough period or love and/or understand themselves or others better or any of the magical things books do.
So when I saw this blog comment I had to pass it along to the husband and to illustrator Nathan Hale:
Two years ago, when my older daughter was in second grade, I spotted "Rapunzel's Revenge" at our local library and checked it out. Molly saw me reading it and was instantly intrigued, and I assured her she could read it as soon as I was done. She took it to school. When I stopped by the classroom later that week to volunteer, I saw that there were two girls sitting side by side at a table, sharing the book, with two MORE girls standing behind them, reading over their shoulders. Each page got turned when all four girls agreed they were ready for the next page. This AFTER Molly had actually made a handwritten waiting list because so many of her classmates wanted to borrow it. And THEN someone liked it so much she took it home and I NEVER SAW THE BOOK AGAIN and had to pay $22 to the library to replace the copy I'd checked out. Siiiiigh. So YES. YES. OMG not only do children READ your books, they beg, borrow, and steal them. (This Christmas, I bought copies of "Rapunzel's Revenge" and "Calamity Jack" for my younger daughter, who's seven. She ADORES these books and has re-read them repeatedly.)
Nathan was so delighted, being Valentine's week, he wanted to make a Valentine for all our awesome readers out there. Thank you, thank you! And here's your love from Nate:
Oh man, how much this pic makes me want to do a third...