loisduncan.arquettes.comHome Page

Duncan DVD A message board is provided to readers for sending me their questions and comments. Click here to view the message board . Click here to enter your comment onto the message board . When possible, Lois will respond. Welcome! Autumn is here. I can tell, even without the change in temperature, because I’ve started receiving e-mail from readers doing author reports. How can time pass so quickly? It seems like yesterday that I was getting e-mail from those same readers exulting, “School’s out! No more dumb author reports till next fall!” Well, here's some exciting news -- Little Brown, the publisher who brought out my early suspense novels, has now published new, updated editions with wonderful new covers. During the past two years I had the fun of bringing those stories into the 21st Century. I haven't changed the characters or plots -- those have held strong over the years -- but I've been able to update the language (which was sometimes sort of old-fashioned) and the clothing and the hair styles. Most important, I've given my characters computers and cell phones and digital cameras. New technology has created some challenges, because many of my suspenseful situations were caused by the fact that my endangered characters couldn't make contact with the outside world. (Think of DOWN A DARK HALL, for instance, with those girls closed away in a boarding school with the gates locked.) So I've had to find ways to disable their computers so they can’t send tweets or e-mail and have their cell phones fall into rivers or toilets or run out of batteries. On the subject of DOWN A DARK HALL, there is even more exciting news. Stephanie Meyer, the author of the TWILIGHT books, has optioned the film rights. If you’ve read those books or seen the movies, you know that Stephanie Meyer loves scary stories, and I’m thrilled to discover that mine are among her favorites. This is what she posted on her Web site: “My production company, Fickle Fish, has acquired the option to Lois Duncan’s novel DOWN A DARK HALL. Not too much information to share as yet, but even in this early stage, it is still very exciting. I grew up reading and loving Lois Duncan novels, and I can’t believe my good luck that I get to be involved with this project. DOWN A DARK HALL was my favorite of her novels (though it’s a very close race with SUMMER OF FEAR and STRANGER WITH MY FACE), and it gave me some serious nightmares when I was younger.” It can take quite a while for a book to move from the “option” stage, (which is when a production company buys film rights), to actually being produced and shown in theaters. The wait is going to be hard – (I always want everything done right now) -- but I feel pretty sure it will be worth it. We've also included author interviews in the new editions so I can respond to the questions that readers ask me most often. For instance, about DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU: "Is the Witness Protection program really as difficult as you portray it in this book?" Actually it's worse. I received an e-mail from a teenage boy whose family is in the Program. He says, 'In our case, the feds staged our deaths. It's hard to disappear, but it's even worse to know that the family you left behind believes you're dead. I've grown up without being allowed to have a girlfriend, go to parties, or have friends over, because something might 'slip out.' I can't even be part of a social networking group like Facebook." And, for younger readers, we now have MOVIE FOR DOGS, the third book in my HOTEL FOR DOG trilogy. In this new story, Andi and Bruce produce a video about their dogs' adventures. They enter it in a contest, get into the finals, and they and their dogs go to Hollywood where Red Rover gets to compete with a dog who can talk. Almost all my books are now available as e-books, so you can download them to your Kindles or Nooks or whatever other electronic devices you own. You don’t even have to make a trip to the library. Warm wishes for a happy autumn -- LOIS DUNCAN My daughter, Robin, has now established me on Twitter. If you’re interested in trailing me around and listening to me chirp, feel free to join me at http://twitter.com/duncanauthor . We are excited to announce the release of a new DVD, created specifically for classroom use: The name LOIS DUNCAN means different things to different people. Teachers and librarians know her as the author of over 50 books and a recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award, presented by the American Library Association for an outstanding contribution to young adult literature. Young adult readers know her as the author of scary suspense novels like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Killing Mr. Griffin. Younger readers know her as the author of humorous books like Hotel for Dogs and News for Dogs . On this 35 minute DVD, you and your students will meet the “real” Lois Duncan, visit in her home and office, and hear her describe the ups and downs of her career. You’ll follow her step by step through her writing process, hear her respond to the questions asked most frequently by readers, and learn what happens behind the scenes when a writer’s novels go to Hollywood. You’ll even get to meet some of her children and grandchildren. Classes who view “A Visit with Lois Duncan” can write to Duncan by e-mail, and she will respond, so it can be an interactive experience. For more information click on the following link: Duncan DVD...