Country matters

I am in Maine now and seeing first hand what the latest storm has done here. It followed, of course, a winter of huge snowfall...I am looking through the window at the moment at Alfie, playing King of the Hill, sitting atop a snowbank probably 12 feet high. Around the edges of the supermarket parking lot, the snow is as high as a two-story house.

The recent storm was more snow, then rain, then freezing temperatures. So there is ice everywhere, and when I got here, although the driveway was plowed, (thank you, Jesse), the garage door was frozen closed. Eventually, though chopping and shoveling and..yes...swearing...I got it open. And I carved a path to the place where the oil company feeds oil into the furnace; if I don't keep that cleared, they won't deliver oil. But there is no way I can get to, or defrost, or expose, the propane gas tank behind the house...it feeds the six top burners of my Viking stove, and it is now empty and won't be accessible till spring. So cooking will be a challenge. There will be a lot of roasted vegetables, I think, and micro-waved things. And next fall I will not start out with a half-full tank, which was my mistake this year.

The local paper, as always, is filled with local color. In the police blotter....two car accidents involving deer (no moose; sometimes there is a moose-car collision, and that usually sadly involves two deaths: moose and driver); a rescue of a woman who went through the ice at Moose Pond; and...surely there is more to this story but all I know is the terse report from the paper: a horse "went through the floorboards" and was lifted to safety with the help of "heavy equipment and a sling."

A friend of mine arrives later today: my friend Kay, who is on sabbatical from teaching at Harvard and is writing a book. She'll be in one room at her computer and I out here in my studio off the barn at my own computer. We'll have each other's company for meals (roasted vegetables!) and evenings for the whole week. And we both plan on getting lots done though we may be distracted by dogs. She is bringing hers; mine is here; the two of them play very excitedly with each other whenever they're together, and we are hoping that an extended visit may calm them down. Either that or we will all be crazy at the end of the week.

Yikes. I just heard a huge roaring, thumping, crashing sound. Snow sliding off roof. Luckily the dog was not underneath.

Bad news from The Giver Movie front. David Yates, the director currently working on the next Harry Potter film, was supposed to begin The Giver film next. But he has just decided he wants to do the final Harry Potter first, thereby postponing The Giver by several years. Maybe the opening of this film could be held simultaneously with my celebration-of-life service after I succumb to old age? Or the producers will decide to get a different director. Stand by. But without holding your breath.

Okay, back to work. That's what I came here for, and that's what I'm doing.

Comments

[Rose Manzo]

You are one of my favorite authors!I loved The Giver and the two that followed the most.I loved getting lost in that world you created and was sorry to go when I'd finished the books. I read a lot and authors that give me a world that I don"t want to leave are my favorites. This particular series is so artistic and creative and I loved the characters. The writing was fantastic and the story amazing. I can't ask for more from my many books. It's rare that I can't guess what's going to happen next in a book or movie so when I can't I'm deeply impressed. I hardly guessed anything in The Giver trilogy! I read them a few years ago and I'm 28 now but I'm not done reading them-I love to reread my favorites! I hope they get a good cast and director(David Yates would be great) because they already have a great story. I can't wait to see the movie! I also can't wait to read anything else you might write!

[Hannahh]

hey Mrs. Lowry,
i read that you read every comment so i thought i would ask you a couple of questions. first of all: when will david yates be filming the seventh harry potter film? also, i have heard rumors that the seventh movie will be split into two. is that true? i just wanted to say that i love all of your books, particularly the harry potter ones. The Giver is also very exciting and great. Please post answers. thanks.
-hannah

[Jrarrmy.com]

This is one of the only books I've ever liked.

I don't know why I can't get into books, none of them really seem to be good, no matter what recommendations I read.

But, I LOVE the Giver and it would be glorious to have a film interpretation of it. Please make sure it's done as epically effective as I imagined it, heh.

[Danna Town]

I actually do not want a movie version of this book. I love this novel and I teach it every year to eighth graders who receive it with open arms. To make a movie is to create a pre-packaged picture of the community and Jonas that I would rather they create for themselves. This novel is so vividly written that it doesn't need a visual representation. I also have a quick question: Before the sequels were written, did you intend for the reader to believe that Jonas and Gabriel die? That has always been my interpretation and I have a hard time swallowing that they survive. Just curious.

Danna Town

[Suzanne Kohl]

I absolutely loved The Giver. I read it as a adult and made my 3 children read it. Then two of them were meant to read it at school, so I was even more happy. I recently saw Eric Coble's stage production and I think he did a fine job capturing the emotion that flows throughout your novel. Thank you for this piece of art.

[zarabianie w internecie]

great blog, i found it in google and i will back here regulary

[gogulino]

I am so happy to find your web site. I have been a fan of your books for a while. I so love the "Giver" and "Gathering Blue". My daughter introduced me to your books when she was 12, (she is now 26.)

[mandie]

well...i was searching ur page for an email so i can beg you to get someone to make your book "the giver" into a move and i seen it was already in the process. (weight off my back) though i am not ok with waiting so long. get the director of harry potter 3 to do it, hes really good. i can not wait, i read the giver when i was like 10 and it is a book that has always stuck in my head, but i will ask that you tell the director to 'keep it to the book!' dnt add stuff or take stuff away this is too great a movie to mess up!! cant wait to see it!!!

[Marilee]

Ms. Lowry,
I have wanted to write to you for some time now. I am sorry they are postponing the making of 'the Giver.' I think it's worth telling you that I have wanted to see 'the Giver' on the big screen for some time. I had the idea to write a screenplay for it, but found out it was already being done before I started the process. I have had trouble for some time learning all the ropes of writing. I have the dream to become a good writer, but unfortunately, I don't know what I'm doing, or how to do it properly. Do you have any advice for someone in my position? I don't seek fame or money by it; I just want to write well. Perhaps, it's because of all the good literature out there that I have been inspired to write. Thank you for writing such inspiring books. They're wonderful!
-Marilee

[Shannon Seery]

Ms. Lowry,

My daughter read the Giver in her 8th grade class, '07-'08 school year. She absolutly loved it. After they finished the book, they had to do a book report. Unlike most kid's book reports, She wrote a song. With the help of the choir teacher, they put music to it and she performed it in front of the students and for the School board. It turned out great. I finally read the book and it put the song in to prospective. The first thing I thought of was, what a great song for the end of the movie, if ever one was made.
Shannon

[kyle]

hey i have a report on u can you give me some info favorite music tv shows movie and favorite book please i like the book numbering the stars.