FSCRG
Post #1134 – 20000530
May 30, 2000
What do you do when you start to panic because you think other people might discover you are not a real artist but merely pretending to be one? Should you stop pretending to be an artist if you really really like it?
P.S. I sent a copy of 5 novels to my fifteen year old brother-in-law for Christmas and his father recently called us, very concerned that brother-in-law has been painting urinals to look like monsters with big mouths in his art class. Do you think he read the book?
Daniel replies:
Oh no...do not stop. I have been pretending to be an artist for almost 40 years. It's better than really being one because you probably won't be so obnoxious. As to your 15-year-old brother-in-law, I take no responsibility for what he may do.
D. Pinkwater, F.R.Econ.S.
Michael Engle
Post #1133 – 20000529
May 29, 2000
First time listener to your show, I thought it was great, but I need to comment on the Diner mention.
Secondly, THANK YOU from all Diner fanatics ( www.roadsidemagazine.com to find there are quite a few of us) for the rave remarks on diners.
Thirdly though, diners were not originated from railroad cars. To make a long story short. Walter Scott, in 1872, began to offer prepared food from a horse drawn freight wagon in Providence, RI ( From American Diner Museum www.dinermuseum.org ) People copied the idea. Worcester Lunch Car Co. , the Tierney Co.
They started as lunch carts, and then, because they were in the Northeast they started offering a few seats inside ( stools and counters ). As these were prefabricated objects, they could only be made as big as could be moved.
Daniel replies:
I missed the program, and barely remember what we may have recorded about diners...but I am sure we will revisit the subject. Pretty soon the Chinwag Theater website (linked to this one) is going to be refurbished and re-activated, and there will be an email address you can supply with URLs so we can educate ourselves and convey more accurate diner information to our astute listeners.
Annette Kaye
Post #1131 – 20000525
May 25, 2000
Dear Daniel Pinkwater,
As it turns out, there are other Pinkwaters lurking out there. I for one, am a Pinkwater on my mother’s side of the family. My mom is a Pinkwater, originally from Warsaw, Poland. Who knew we were originally from Virginia? Now I can tell my sons that their ancestors were hanging around with the founding fathers. It may not be the Mayflower, but it’s something.
Actually, I have been told by my mother that your father, Phillip, visited her in the hospital when I was born. I think that was the first and last time she saw him. He brought her a wicker sewing box that she still has. My mom was introduced to quite a few family members when she came to America after WWII, the assumption being she was related because she was a Pinkwasser from Poland. Makes perfect sense to me. She tells me about some “cousins’ club” that I am sure would have supplied you with a plethera of material for your books.
Thank you for the (sort of) official family history page. Our family has enjoyed it.
Annette (Pinkwater) Kaye
Daniel replies:
So interesting! Especially in light of the fact that my father was born in Kingston Jamaica, and was a tall, well-spoken black man who had never been to Warsaw, and had a mortal dread of wicker baskets. There are so many questions we'll never know the answers to--and others we may never ask.
Hillary
Post #1130 – 20000524
May 24, 2000
Dear Sir, once more:
I wrote to you a couple of months ago about the problems of lending favorite books (namely 5 Novels) to friends with mental problems. An interesting turn of events occurred, and I thought you might be interested in how you figured in there.
My friend chose, for no apparent reason, to begin talking to me again. She invited me over one weekend, and while we were hanging out, she said, “I have your book. I’m never going to read it, so I might as well give it back.” She then retrieved it for me. We weren’t doing anything, so I said, “Let me read Young Adult Novel to you.” She said, “The whole book?” I said, “Just give it a chance.” So I started off. When I finished chapter 3, she said, “I love this book. I can’t give it back right now.” And she did not. Since then she’s improved a lot, and she’s talking to me more, and while I can’t definitely say that it was your book that did it, there’s always that possibility. To the average person, this might seem like a trivial event, but I thought, “If I were an author, and there’s the chance that my book helped a semi-unstable person who I had been previously notified of, well, you know, I would want to know.” So now you know. And I am quite grateful. Thanks.
Daniel replies:
Have you considered that by hanging out with your friend, and reading to her...getting her involved with an engaging piece of writing...that you were making contact with that part of her which is trying to heal, and giving it some stimulation and nourishment? It's not the specific book, it's your generosity of spirit that may help her.
Catie McLey
Post #1129 – 20000523
May 23, 2000
Could you send me a book you wrote, with you signiture on it?
Daniel replies:
No, but I can send you a signature you can paste in a book. Send me a private message (through Evan) with your mailing address, and I will send one.
Jean-Hugues Rolland
Post #1128 – 20000523
May 23, 2000
Dear Sir:
I have the blues, my all time favorite book, Blue Moose is nowhere to be found!!! I don’t have any children, yet, but ever since my parents and I heard the phrase “Dave says thank you” a good 12 years ago, we’ve been hooked on the story as well as clam chowder.
The first time I heard the story was at the public library of a little town called Larchmont in New York. Since then I pretty much traveled the globe (following the furniture, and my parents) looking at bookstores if they have a copy. I am 25 now and I’ve set myself on a mission: to find this series along with the audio tapes.
Could you please help me pay your bills.
Jean-Hugues ROLLAND
Daniel replies:
I know. It's sort of a crime. Blue Moose is a classic, and was in print for something like 25 years. I think there is a license somewhere that has to expire before I can get the rights back and have it published again. I used to think that publishers were pathetic, counter-productive, and self-destructive. Now I think that all business is that way, and we live in a corporate world.
Stop the presses! I am informed that Blue Moose and Return of the Moose may exist in one Bullseye Paperback from Random House. You may contact them directly to find out if it is in print. 201 E. 50th Street, NY, NY 10016
Stop the Presses II! Chinwag Theater is currently broadcasting repeats of the Moose-cycle. See the initial page of this website for times and links to radio station webcasting Chinwag Theater. Last week was Blue Moose. This weekend's offering it Part I of Return of the Moose.
Ross Nadal
Post #1127 – 20000522
May 22, 2000
Daniel,
I am a soon to be zoology major at the U of Washington (though better defined by my enjoyment of eating, learning stuff, and being in the middle of nowhere). From before I can remember I’ve been reading your books, and I think I’ve now read them all. You’re my favorite author/God, followed closely by Tim Cahill and Kurt Vonnegut. Anyhow, the purpose of this letter is that I’ve always wanted to talk to my hero, and thought I better do it soon before I leave for Marines boot camp (I’m doing a reserve program during college), and am just curious what you have to say about anything.
Daniel replies:
Yes. I have this to say: When they tell you your hair will grow back...that is USUALLY true. Good luck.
Deidra
Post #1126 – 20000522
May 22, 2000
dear daniel, Could you please tell me the average life span of a mesquito?
thank you deidra
Daniel replies:
4.5 years. Most live a very much shorter time, but the average is extended by relatively rare inviduals, like Old Ned, a Jersey City mosquito who lived to be 113 years old. I met Old Ned, and found him to be as sharp as a mosquito half his age.
Rachel Springer
Post #1125 – 20000519
May 19, 2000
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
I had written to you a month ago or something, and told you how much I loved Three Big Hogs. I still do, but the only copy I know of is thousands of miles away with my sister in Holland. While I wait for either Amazon.com or my out-of-print-book-finder friend to find me an actual copy (or my sister to make me a color copy as you suggested), I have another way to get my fill of your books. I was recently employed by Barnes & Noble as a bookseller, and I’ve more or less demanded that we stock any and every book you have written that’s still in print, at least in the store where I work (You ought to come to my store, Debbie Williams!). In return for my demands, I sat down and alphabetized all the paperback picturebooks. . .I was so pleased when I ran across The Big Orange Splot! Every month I have the opportunity to put a book I like on the “Staff Recommends” shelf at the front of the store. Guess whose book I’m choosing first? I haven’t decided which one yet, but I have a month to decide. Hey, I don’t suppose you ever do book signings/readings. . . in Georgia? If you do, I’m sure everyone would appreciate if you came! I sure would.
One of many loyal fans,
Rachel Springer
Daniel replies:
Interesting. Most B&Ns I have visited not only didn't have much by me, but had surprisingly little--considering the size of them--that even interested me. Plenty of junk-books though. I find those places depressing. I might like yours.
Emily
Post #1124 – 20000518
May 18, 2000
dear,uncole daniel
i have some of your books.i like them a lot.what is your next book?Ilike to dance.Can you tell me about Lulu and tell me how she looks.I am 8 years old my is brother is 13 years old and turning 14 years old.I really want to vist you because i want to see what your house.How do you get on the radio.Once i heard you on the radio talking on the radio about your books.once i saw you on the newspapper.Ifyouwant to call us are ponenumber is 35***** and our thing on our house is 12656.We have 3 computers at our house. How many computers do have?
Daniel replies:
There are some books coming out about werewolves who are in the 4th grade. So far, The Magic Pretzel, and the Lunchroom of Doom are done. Coming next is The Werewolf Club meets Dorkula. Published by Simon and Schuster in paperback and hardcover. Get the paperback. Lulu is sooo beautiful. I should send Evan a picture of Lulu, so he can post it here.
Carol Diggory Shields
Post #1123 – 20000515
May 15, 2000
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
My life has come full circle and I can now die happy. One of the reasons I started writing was because of THE BIG ORANGE SPLOT. As a children’s librarian at the John Steinbeck Library in Salinas, CA, I read it to dozens of kids. Then I decided to live it. I got out my paint and started writing. A mere nine years later my first book was published (I AM REALLY A PRINCESS). And then, this evening, a friend called from San Francisco and said, “Hey, MARTIAN ROCK is being read on Daniel Pinkwater’s radio show!”
Unfortunately, the KQED signal doesn’t quite reach our hamlet, so I didn’t get to hear it, but this is truly one of the happiest moments of my writing life. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Carol Diggory Shields
Daniel replies:
Charity and I had fun reading your book on the program. I have set wheels in motion which will result in your getting a CD of the program. Glad you like the idea. Supposedly, your publisher granted permission for us to do the reading--cause we don't read 'em unless they do. I guess they forgot to tell you.
Frank Spina
Post #1121 – 20000514
May 14, 2000
Mr. Pinkwater,
I am a multiage teacher in Starksboro, a small rural community in Vermont. As part of a Jr. Great Books activity I read your book “The Blue Moose” to my class of second and third graders. We were so taken with it that we wrote a prequel to it entitled “The Blue Moose Journals”. It is about the life of the Blue Moose before he met Mr. Benton. I am not sure whether I have broken any copywrite restrictions by doing this and thought I should write to you and find out. We will not be sending the final draft along with the illustrations to any publishing houses (although I think my students did a great job). Each child will get a copy, however.
The only characters that appear in both your version and ours are the Blue Moose and Dave the hermit and our version ends with the Blue Moose brushing past Mr. Benton to enter his house and sit by the stove. Once again let me say how much we enjoyed “The Blue Moose”. It provided us with an opportunity to have some very good discussions.
Daniel replies:
Publishing Police in raincoats with big heavy shoes will be breaking your door down some night soon. Sorry, it's out of my hands. I hope they show restraint.
Jason
Post #1122 – 20000514
May 14, 2000
Dear Mr. Pinkwater
Well, how do you start a letter to someone who changed your life? I have absolutely no idea, so please bear with me while I stumble through this.
I’m not sure how old I was when I first read “Allen Mendholson”, somewhere around nine or ten, but I know I read it at least 20 times. I was a fat unpopular kid, and I found solace in the book, like I could relate to the characters. I think i tried to make everything levitate using a metal ruler for a year after reading the book. Anyway, I’m sure you’ve heard all of this before, so I’ll move on. I couldn’t remember your name, and had trouble finding your books anywhere, until I found you online.
Thank you very much for making my childhood a better experience.
a fan,
Jason
p.s. I still wonder what peanut butter flavored beer tastes like.
Daniel replies:
Hi! Try reading some of my other stuff, and see if it does anything for your adulthood.
Brad Sondahl
Post #1120 – 20000510
May 10, 2000
At the Whaddyaknow quiz, they asked how much was the reward for capturing Canada’s version of the Loch Ness monster. I thought:
YOBGORGLE lives! . Apparently they garbled the name, because this one’s called Ogopogo. You can read about it at this link:
www.foxnews.com/etcetera/0502/e_rt_0502_6.sml
This is a truly great day for Pinkwaterian Cryptozoology!
Brad Sondahl
Daniel replies:
I take this opportunity to state that we are satisfied owners of some Sondahl ceramics. Why don't you post your web address on this site? There's a link to Pinkwater Glass--with which I have no connection. Evan will make you a link.
