dont bother reading this. i had to post it so i could access it at my mums heap of poop computer, and my email isnt working.
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for writing to me, quite a while ago now I'm embarrassed to say, but my life has been a bit hectic this last year or so. But I was reminded to answer your e-mail by the fact that my father died last Thursday, not from emphysema, just from old age really I guess. I think emphysema would be a pretty lousy way to die.
It sounds like you're missing your grandfather pretty badly, and maybe feeling a bit angry about the whole thing too.
The way to write the kind of novel you describe is not to make it a novel about the dangers of smoking, or how awful it is to die from the effects of smoking. Instead, you have to come up with a character, or a group of characters, and follow them through their lives. One or more of them might smoke, and one or more of them might die, but this should not be the main focus of the book. Just tell their stories, over it a period of time, which might range from a day to a week to five years to a hundred years. Otherwise you risk turning it into a sermon, or a piece of propaganda, which is not very appealing to readers.
I must say you write a very good letter, very polished, so there's no reason from a technical point of view why you shouldn't be able to write a full-length novel.
Best wishes,
John Marsden
----- Original Message -----
From: lucy russell
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 5:44 PM
Subject: Anti Smoking Novel
Dear Mr Marsden,
Let me start by saying I am a big fan of your books. You probably hear that often but I can't help but tell you.
Moving on to my main point however, my name is Lucy Russell and I am 13 year old. Last year my grandfather died from emphysema and ever since then I've been struggling to write and rewrite the story of what happened as a novel. My plan, which is probably a little high shooting, is to one day get it published and having it sponsored by Cancer Council or something, and I have emailed them. And, aiming high once more is my proposal to you.
It would be absolutely fantastic if it were possible to perhaps get your thoughts on the idea or some tips or pretty much anything. Since you are an author and I wish to be one I would probably cack myself if you actually replied to this, but you wont unless I email first. So, if you can find the time to do so, thankyou so much. and, perhaps when I actually finish the novel, you wouldn't mind me sending you a copy or something.
However if you are sitting in your computer chair, wetting yourself laughing, I hardly blame you. I have a habit of writing things like this pretty formally and its hard to find the right words to use.
Any way, thankyou for your time.
Sincerely, Lucy Russell.
BTW i found your email in one of your books, one of the Ellie Chronicles, in case you're wondering.
