Your Comments and Questions
One of the things I love best about writing for teens and tweens is the chance to talk to my readers. If you have a question about my books, about writing and publishing in general, or if you just want to tell me what’s on your mind, this is the place. I’ll answer each message as soon as I can, but please remember that I travel quite a lot, and sometimes it may take a while for me to catch up. But I will write you back and you can read it here.
Or, click here if you’d rather send a private message that will not be posted.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:48 pm
We enjoyed dinner with you tonight and learning about your books. Your website is great. I (Arnella) look forward to sharing this information with my teacher daughter; I (Madge) look forward to sharing your books with my granddaughters. I (Cindy) says hi and happy writing. We hope your transition to San Antonio is wonderful. HAPPY NEW YEAR
January 22nd, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Hello Anne!!! Oh my god i am such a big fan of you! I love your book Semiprecious!! It is my #1 favorite book!! I have’nt really read anymore but after that first book i am amazed of how well you can put a book together!! Please reply to my message!!!!
?#1 fan of Anne D. Love/Megan<333
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:14 am
Hi Megan,
Thanks a bunch for writing!! I’m so glad you liked SEMIPRECIOUS. I hope you’ll check out my other books. If you read DEFYING THE DIVA you’ll find a clue about what happened to Opal when she grew up.
Thanks for being a number one fan!!
D. Anne
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 am
Hi Arnella, Cindy and Madge,
I enjoyed sharing a table with all of you, and I hope each of you had a wonderful New Year’s.
We are in the house in San Antonio, but not yet completely unpacked. Even so, it’s great to be home.
Thanks for taking time to check out my website.
All best for the new year,
D Anne
January 25th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
when were you born and did you win any awards?
January 25th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Hey there kit cat,
I was born Jan 12, many years ago..My books have won a few awards and have been nominated for many more, but the best award of all is receiving letters from girls who have read and enjoyed my books.
Thanks a bunch for writing.
D. Anne
January 25th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
what kind of award did you win?
January 26th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Hey Kit Cat,
Most recently, the Juvenile Fiction Prize from American Writers and the Teddy Award.
Cheers,
D. Anne
January 30th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Heyy, i read your book semiprecious & really enjoyed it. I’m doing a book report for it in my 9th grade class.
just trying to find info about yu & yur books, got to yur page & decided to leave a sign!
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 am
Hey Nabeela,
Thanks for checking in….good luck with the report. I hope you ace it!
D. Anne
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Hey I LOVE the book Semiprecious!! It’s a fabulous book, and advice if you get the chance to read this book don’t say no because I kept reading and reading. At school, my friend Meaghan told me to come to lunch and I got grouchy with her because I didn’t want to go to lunch I wanted to read!! So I took the book to lunch and ended up barley eating! I could read this book again and again. Thank you D. Anne Love for spending weeks probably writing and publishing this book, because you are a very talented woman and when I get older I want to be a expert reader like you. I read the book a while ago and I am still telling my friends about it and family about it, so READ SEMIPRECIOUS! And also I had stayed up late because I didn’t want to put the masterpiece down! It was amazing and just please everybody read this wonderful boook. You won’t regret reading this wonderful book! I LOVE IT!
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Maggie May
February 4th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Hey Maggie,
Wow, what a fabulous fan letter! I’m blown away. Thanks so much for letting me know how much you liked SEMIPRECIOUS. I hope you’ll enjoy my other books as well. And I hope you you become a writer when you grow up. It’s the best job ever!
All my best,
D. Anne
February 16th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Semiprecious is my favorite book ever! Is there going to be a sequel? There totally should be! I love that book so much! Now I want to read Picture Perfect, but I think Semiprecious should have a second book in the series! I am just like Garnet! I am 12, like her, and I also have a sister that is Opal’s age, and my personality is exactly like Garnet’s!
February 16th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Hi Erin!
I’m thrilled that you liked Garnet’s story. She is one of my all time favorite characters. Right now there are no plans for a sequel, but maybe I will write one someday. I hope you enjoy PICTURE PERFECT. If you read DEFYING THE DIVA you will find a clue about what happened to Opal when she grew up. Write back and let me know if you spot the clue!
Thanks a bazillion for writing to me. It’s so much fun getting mail from my fabulous readers.
All my best to you,
D. Anne
March 12th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
hi. i love your books. your a fabulous author. so far i have read picture perfect and defying the diva. picture perfect is so far my all time favorite. i love to write. if you have any tips please let me know. your my favorite author.
March 13th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Hi Samantha!
Thanks so much for writing. I’m delighted that you liked the books, and even more delighted that you love to write. If you check out the “Writers Tips” page of this website, you’ll find a few ideas that might help, and links to some of my favorite sites for young writers.
Keep reading, and keep writing, and someday I will be writing YOU a fan letter. How cool would that be?
All my best,
D Anne
March 31st, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I love Semiprecious!!! It is my all time favorite book!!!!! I am doing a Great Author report for my langauge arts class and I am doing you!! One of the things I need to know though is when your birthday is. Your a great author!!!!
p.s. when’s your birthday???
March 31st, 2009 at 1:52 pm
What are some topics you base your books off of?
March 31st, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Hi!
I’m so glad you like Semiprecious and I am honored that you are writing a report about my books.
My birthday is January 12. Which makes me a Capricorn. For my birthday this year, I went out for Italian food. which is my very favorite.
Good luck on your report.
D. Anne
March 31st, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Hello,
Thanks for your question about topics for my books. Sometimes I take an event that really happened to me or to someone I know, and change it up a little for use in my stories. In Semiprecious, the episode in which Melanie gets a vacuum cleaner for her birthday is a version of something that happened in real life when I was a kid. I get other ideas from talking with my teen writing students about what’s going on in their lives, and from reading newspapers and magazines, sometimes even from song lyrics. My topics usually involve families (Semiprecious and Picture Perfect) or school issues such as bullying (Defying the Diva).
I hope this answers your question.
Thanks for writing! D. Anne
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:37 pm
do you have a writers note book?
April 3rd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Hi Adriene,
Yes, I keep a notebook for each book that I write and a spare one in my backpack for writing down my thoughts and ideas when I am away from my desk. It helps me remember my ideas for characters, plots, etc. How about you? Are you a writer, too? Doyou keep a notebook?
Thanks for writing!
D. Anne
April 20th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
DEAR D. ANNE im russell. Im also curious, do u have any kids if so how many and names
April 20th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
what is your adress because me and adriene wants to now please so me and adriene can send you letters ps bye bye
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Hey Anne! I have read Picture Perfect,and Defying the Diva.You are an Exellent Writer .I wish that one day I could meet you.I’ve even started writing a book .Look for the book Called COMPLETLY UNITED.Its great .Its about a soldier who has to go to war ,he comes back and finds out his wife and son are missing then him and other freinds who lost their love ones get united and go through all these jorneys to save there famaily.
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Dear d. anne love,
ive all ready typed this note twice but its not working going on to your list and i hope it does this time because i realy want you to read it , but any way i read your book semiprecious
and it was my favorite book in the world that ive read well i wanted to say im kind of like
opal and gernet because live in indiana but when was 7 witch im ten now but my mom and dad are devorced now and my dad lives in missouri and now i have a step dad to and i get to see him once a month and i think it is realy unfair do you plus adriene/smadriene is my bff and we are in the same 4th grade class and our teacher calls us the two amigas or atached to the hip because we are allways together and me and adriene are doingan athor talk at school and we were doing reserch on you well please write back cassie,
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:25 am
Hi Cassie,
I did get your message! Thanks so much for writing. I’m glad you and Adriene enjoyed Garnet and Opal’s story. Sometimes life can be unfair, as Garnet finds out, but if you have good friends, as you do in Adriene, they can make things way better.
Keep reading! Good luck on your author report.
D. Anne
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:29 am
Hi Billy Bob,
It’s so amazing that your name is almost the same as the famous actor, Billy Bob Thornton!!
Glad you liked Picture Perfect and Diva.
Good luck with your story. It sounds exciting!
D. Anne
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hello to Russell, Amy, Jane, and Bobby Jack
Since all of you asked the same questions, I’ll answer them here instead of repeating myself.
I am married. My husband and I don’t have any human kids, but we have two golden retrievers who live with us and act like kids! Their names are Major and Jake and you can see their pictures here on my website.
My birthday is January 12. I graduated from two universities, Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas and University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. I have published twelve books so far…more on the way.
Thanks to all of you for writing to me. It’s great hearing from readers.
D. Anne
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:44 am
Hi to all my readers who requested an address for mailing letters to me.
You can send them to my publishers, who will forward them to me. Be patient, sometimes it takes weeks to receive forwarded mail.
Thanks for writing!
D. Anne
April 25th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Hey D. Anne Love!
i am doin a project for school about Semiprecious…but i dont have a answer..so here is my question: is SEMIPRECIOUS a fiction or nonfiction?
April 25th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Hey Kylie,
Semiprecious is fiction. Thanks for writing. Good luck on your report. I hope you ace it!
D. Anne
April 30th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
hey D. Anne! i want to know what your current adress is so i can mail you! i am doing a project for my reading class and i am studying you!
May 4th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Hi Hannah,
Please send a private email (just click on the link on the Let’s Talk page) and I’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Good luck with your project.
D. Anne
May 6th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Dear D. Anne Love:
I am reading Mr. Henshaw with my 4th grade class and teachers, Mrs. Draxler and Mrs. Edgar. In the book, the main character, Leigh Botts, writes letters to his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. In 6th grade, Leigh’s teacher assigns a project that requires Leigh to ask Mr. Henshaw ten questions. Now my teacher has done the same thing. Will you (My favorite author) please answer my question and return them to me at my school. I am looking forward to hear from? Thank you!
Do you still visit your uncle’s ranch in Texas?
Are you married?
What is your book Dakota Springs about?
Do you have kids?
What is your favorite book of yours?
Do you still write books?
Where did you get your ideas for the quilt book?
Your fan,
Samantha
May 6th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Hi Samantha from Mrs. Draxler’s class!
I’m happy to answer your questions for your school project. Ready? Here we go:
Since my uncle died I don’t go to his place anymore but I have great memories of going there when I was your age.
I’m married. My husband’s name is Ron. He likes books as much as I do, and we both like history. We collect antique maps and we travel every chance we get.
Dakota Spring is about a 12 year old girl named Rachel who lives on a farm with her dad and little brother. When her dad is hurt, he sends for Rachel’s grandmother who does not like Rachel at all. The story is about how Rachel and her grandmother, her dad and brother make a new kind of family. It’s still one of my favorite books.
We don’t have kids. We have two golden retrievers. Jake is almost two years old and does not like thunderstorms. When it storms, he jumps into the bed and hides under the covers. Major is almost nine years old and isn’t afraid of anything. They love to play chase and Frisbee in the back yard. Check out their pictures right here on the site. We think they are pretty cute.
My favorite book is always the one I happen to be working on at the moment.
I still write books. I am working on a new one now.
After my husband’s mom died, we found a quilt top in her cedar chest. Ron remembered stories about several of the fabrics she’d used and I started thinking about the ways quilts can tell stories. The next thing I knew I was writing a story about a girl who makes a quilt to help her family. One of the greatest things about being a writer is discovering story ideas from all sorts of places.
I hope this helps with your report, and I hope you get an A.
Keep reading!
D. Anne
May 19th, 2009 at 8:51 am
I love your writing!
May 19th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Hi i am a forth grade student in Iowa. And i read Dakota Springs!And it was my forth time reading it, it was really good. I was very excited to talk to you i love reading and writing you just put out all your thoughts and write theam down. I want to be a writer when i grow up but I also want to be a lot of thing so I never know. Well if you don’t mind i going to ask acouple quiestions.out of the hole book who is your favorite charecter in Dakota spring? Well we are doing a readers therter of Dakota sping and i am being caroline but I was going to be Mrs. Ravenell. Ok ready for another question. When you wrote this book was this real or did it just pop in to your mind to write down? Well I do that some times well im going to ask you one more question and its going to be a hard one. What is your favorie book? Well i loved talking to you. Oh and if you have any ideals be sure to tell me.
Thanks agin,
sincerly
a fourth grade student
May 19th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Hi I am a fourth grade student in Iowa.And we read your book Dakota Spring. My favorite part of the book Dakota Spring is when the tornado hit. I like that part because it is exciting and a lot happens at once. Now i have a few questions for you.Has any of this happened to you and what if it has? is this really real? what made you think of all of your ideas and the tittle of your book? And i have one more, if you were to do a readers theter on your book what sceen would you do and why? thank you for you time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!***
scincerely
the 4th grade student
p.s.is your real name Dorthey anne love? and pleese write a sequel to Dakota Spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 19th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Hi I am a 4th grade student.I read your book Dakota spring it was awsome.I am looking forward to another one of your books.you are a good writter.i also want to be a writer,artist,and singer.I liked how mrs.Ravenell got more nice at the end of the book.You had good charecters. I like Jess , Caroline ,Papa and mrs.ravenell.Now if you don’t mined i’ll ask some questions.what is your favorite scene?who is your favorite charecter?do you have have any pet’s? what is your favorite book?is this a true story?do you like all your books?how many books are you writting? I hope you publish another book. you are the best writer ever.
Thanks for your time reading this,
4th grade student
May 19th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Hi my friends and I read your book, Dakota spring.It was really good! My favorite part was when Jess got lost in the tornato because it was cool how Sara and Mis.Ravenall looked for him.where doing a readers theders on Dakota spring and it is going to be cool. what is your favorte part? who is your favorite character mine is jess? are you going to write another book? I hope you do! Is this story happen in real life?Do you have any writing tips? I love to write. What do you do in your free time? I play sports! Do you like sports? If you do what kind and what team?
sincerly,
forth grade student
May 19th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Hi my friends and I love your book Dakota Spring.What I like aout this book Dakota Spring it makes use all want to keep reading all the time. I love in the begging when you think your grandma didn’t come. Also when the storm came. We all just couldn’t stop reading. The last chapter was a leson to me. Always let out your feelings. I have some questions. What happend when your grandma left?Was your dad able to walk? Did your grandma ever visit again?PLease write back.
sincerley,A 4th grade student.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:28 am
HI there fourth graders from Iowa!
So nice to hear from you. I’m glad you all enjoyed Dakota Spring. As for your questions: Dakota Spring is fiction, which as you know, means that I made it all up! So, each reader gets to imagine what happened when Grandmother Ravenell left, and whether Pa was able to walk, and whether Grandmother ever came back.
Maybe you could write a sequel to my story, telling what YOU think happened next.
Thanks for writing!
D. Anne
May 19th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Hello to another Iowa reader
One of my favorite parts of Dakota Spring is the one where Mrs. Ravenell is scolding Jess about the dog, and all of a sudden, the dog sits up and starts to beg. I also like the part where Grandmother tells Jess and Caroline to call her “grandmother.”
This story did not happen in real life, but it could have happened! Yes, I am always writing a new book. I have written 12 books so far. I love writing. You can find some tips for writers on this website.
I do like sports. I played basketball when I was in middle school. I live in San ANtonio Texas so I cheer for the San ANtonio team. Go Spurs!!
have fun with the readers theater.
D. Anne
May 19th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Hi to yet another Iowa reader!
You guys stuffed my in box this morning. Thanks to all for writing to me. I’m delighted to know you are enjoying Dakota Spring. I had a great time writing that book.
I’ave already answered the quetion about my favorite scene–Caroline is my favorite character because she is smart and brave and she likes to write.
Pets: I have two golden retrievers, Major and Jake. Their pictures are on the biography page of this website. Take a look. I think they are very very cute!
Favorite book: I have so many favorites it’s hard to pick just one. I love Charlotte’s Web quite a lot.
Dakota Spring is a novel, which means it isn’t really true. But I am so glad it felt real to you!
I’m working on a new book that will be my 13th one. I love writing!
Keep reading,
D. Anne
May 19th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Hi to another Iowa reader!
Did you know that I used to live in Iowa? One spring we had a tornado that narrowly missed our house. It destroyed seven or eight other houses and my husband’s office. It was very scary.
Ideas: One day I was driving through South Dakota and I saw an old farmhouse with a wagon wheel leaned against the sagging porch. Sunlight streamed through the broken windows. I started to imagine a family who might have lived there many years ago. And that led me to my story. I titled it Dakota Spring because the story happens at that time of year, and because spring is the time of new beginnings. In the story, Jess and Caroline experience a new beginning with their grandmother.
If I were doing a readers theater scene, I might choose the one in which Grandmother is helping Caroline get dressed for the Founders Day celebration and she gives Caroline the necklace. I loved writing that scene.
Yes, my name is Dorothy Anne. Perhaps one day I will write another story about Jess and Caroline. In the meantime I hope you will enjoy my other books.
Thanks for your letter!
D. Anne
May 19th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Hello, Iowa fourth grader!
I’ve already answered the questions about my favorite character in Dakota Spring, and about how I came to write the story. I get ideas for stories from lots of places. Sometimes an idea does pop into my head, and other times, I start with a character and then figure out her story. This is what happened with SEMIPRECIOUS. The character of Garnet arrived in my head and then I had to tell her story.
I have hundreds of favorite books, so it’s hard to name just one. I really like Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. Have you read it?
Have fun with the readers’ theater. I wish I could be there to see you perform!
D. Anne
May 19th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Hi to yet another Iowa fourth grader
Thank you for such a nice compliment!
I hope you will enjoy my other books.
D. Anne
May 23rd, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Hi! I love your book so much I couldn’t put it down! I’m doing a book report on it and I have a really dumb question: Is Willow Flats a real town in Oklahoma or did you just make it up? I was also wondering: Did Opal, Garnet, and their dad go back to Texas or did they stay with Aunt Julia? What happened to Mama? Please reply a.s.a.p. because my book report is on June 1st and I’m just starting writing it now! I’m in trouble: )
Thanks!!!
- A very big fan of yours
May 24th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Hi Very Big Fan!!
Willow Flats is a made up town…not a real place.
If you read the last few pages of the book you will find out where Opal, Garnet, and their dad end up.
Mama is still in Nashville, chasing her dream, about to go on tour with a bluegrass band…this, too, is shown in the last few pages of the book. Check it out!!
Good luck with your report.
D. Anne