Michael Buckley joined.

SheilaRuth: Hi!

Michael Buckley: hello, hello, hello, is there anybody out there?

SheilaRuth: Welcome.

SheilaRuth: It's a little early yet

Michael Buckley: Ok, just thought I'd make sure it was working. What fun!

Pearlheart: Ohhhhhhh Hi!

Michael Buckley: hi!

mimagirl joined.

mimagirl: Hi!

Michael Buckley: hi, mimagirl

mimagirl: hello Mr. Buckley :)

Michael Buckley: please, call me michael. Mr. Buckley sounds like an old man.

SheilaRuth: Ok, Michael, I've sent you the first question, but it would be good if you could wait a few minutes to start answering.

Michael Buckley: Ok, Sheila. I'll hold off until 7 pm



We chatted for a while, and then 7:00 came around...



Michael Buckley: Sheila, should we go ahead and start?

SheilaRuth: Yes, let's start. I think a couple more people may come, but I don't want to wait too long.

Michael Buckley: Ok, thanks for coming, everyone. I hope you'll be ok with my lousy spelling and typing.



Michael Buckley: Hello everyone!

Pearlheart: Do you live in NYC?

Michael Buckley: I do - I live in Manhattan on the Upper East Side very close to the mayor's mansion.



magicyop: How did you think of the inspiration for the sisters grimm books?

Michael Buckley: I get asked that question all the time. I wish I had a good answer for it. The idea just popped into my head one day. I originally tried to put it together as an animated series but a friend suggested I try it as a book. I was never much of a fairy tale fan and had to do a lot of re-reading of the stories before I could get started but these days I love fairy tales and try to get as many people interested in them as I can.



mimagirl: when did you know you wanted to be an author?

Michael Buckley: I don't know when I wanted to be an author. I always knew I wanted to write but I thought it would be comedy. i was a stand-up comic for many years and always enjoyed making people laugh. Writing books was an idea that came much later in my life - but luckily, I still get to use my humor in them.

magicyop: Interesting!

mimagirl: cool!

Mistyleaf: coolnes



sarahbear: when is the fourth book coming out?

Michael Buckley: Book 4 will be out sometime in April of next year. It takes the girls to New York in search of Puck's family. You'll meet his mother, father, brother and his fiancee, as well as a bunch of new Everafters living in the Big Apple. Plus, one important character leaves Ferryport Landing never to return.

Pearlheart: ooohhh

mimagirl: sounds exciting!

Pearlheart: he has a fiance?????

SheilaRuth: Fiancee? Whoa!

Michael Buckley: Oh, yes - Book 4 is really all about Puck, how he got his name The Trickerster King, and why he showed up in Ferryport Landing. There's a lot of people he left behind and don't forget - he might look 11 years old but he's over 4000!



ZephyrStar: do you like to do chats like these?

Michael Buckley: This is my first chat but I'm having a great time. If they are all like this I'd do a lot more!



mimagirl: What is your favorite fairy tale?

Michael Buckley: I'd have to say Pinnochio, primarily because the book is soooo different than the movie. He's really a bit of a jerk and the story has lots of funny twists and turns in it, nothing like the film. It was the first fairy tale I read when i started this series and it was a real eye opener.

mimagirl: Pinocchio is a great book :)

magicyop: neat!



Pearlheart: I noticed you use characters other than the brothers grimms's. Which other authors do you use?

Michael Buckley: I use lots of other authors; Hans Christian Andersen, Rudyard Kipling, L. Frank Baum, Jonathan Swift, William Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, Washington Irving, all the greats!

mimagirl: I noticed that - I liked your uses of the Red Queen and Puck

Pearlheart: Oooh, lets put puss in boots in



mimagirl: what authors have influenced you most?

Michael Buckley: The single most important influence for me was Beverly Cleary. She wrote the Mouse and the Motorcycle which was the first book I really sunk my teeth into. I was a bit of a reluctant reader as a kid, unless it was a Batman comic, so she's my biggest inspiration as a writer.

mimagirl: neat-o

Pearlheart: oooooohhh

Mistyleaf: cool

Mistyleaf: i like batman



sarahbear: will puck get better?

Michael Buckley: I don't want to give too much away but Puck is going to be a bigger part of the Sisters Grimm legend. In fact, I'm writing Book 5 right now and he plays a suprising part in the girl's future.

magicyop: awesome

SheilaRuth: Cool! I like Puck!

mimagirl: yeah, he's a scally-wag, but a fun character ;)

magicyop: I love puck's room ;)

Pearlheart: i want one like it

Mistyleaf: who is Puck...

SheilaRuth: Puck is a fairy from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Deam" and other stories. He's a trickster



SheilaRuth: Yes, your background in comedy really shows. Some of the scenes in the books (especially the third book) made me laugh out loud!

Michael Buckley: Thanks, stand-up was a great thing for me. I was also in a punk rock band for a long time. Performing is actually very helpful to me as a writer. I have to talk to big crowds all the time and you want to entertain them if they drove all the way to see you.



mimagirl: once you've finished the series, do you think you'll keep on writing children's books?

Michael Buckley: Absolutely! I have about half a dozen other children's book ideas cooking in my brain. I hope it's a career that I can do until I'm old and gray. I hope everyone keeps buying the books so I can write more of them.

mimagirl: Hurray!



magicyop: Is Mr canis truly dead this time? or are you not going to answer that? ;)

Michael Buckley: Mr. Canis is having a difficult time, and unfortunately, it's just going to get worse for him. It's not easy being the Big Bad Wolf, but I will say rumours about his demise have been greatly exaggerated.



Book 4 sure sounds like fun :D

magicyop: wow neat!



sarahbear: Are you planning a certain number of books in the series?

Michael Buckley: I'm hoping to do 9 or 10 of them. I don't want to write them forever - I think Sabrina and Daphne have a lot to learn and when they do then the story should end. I don't want to overstay my welcome.



mimagirl: which character have you had the most fun writing?

Michael Buckley: For the most part, Prince Charming and Daphne always make me laugh out loud. I find Granny Relda to be very mysterious and of course, Sabrina keeps me on my toes.

magicyop: neat lol

Mistyleaf: cool

Pearlheart: Sweet



Pearlheart: How many books will be in the series?

Michael Buckley: probably 9 or 10 if I get my way.

Mistyleaf: cool



mimagirl: Have you read any children's books recently that you've really enjoyed?

Michael Buckley: I read all the time. Right now I'm in the middle of the His Dark Materials series that's a bit advanced though they sell it as a kid's series. I just read The Day My Butt Went Psycho and thought it was very funny (that should give you a clue to my sense of humor).

Mistyleaf: ok...



SheilaRuth: Are you working on any other projects now besides The Sisters Grimm?

Michael Buckley: I'm working on several other projects - the one that's getting the most attention is a series called N.E.R.D.S. about five very nerdy elementary school kids who are actually secret agents. The school is a spy headquarters and the gym teacher is in charge. They answer directly to the president and travel all over the world fighting evil with their very nerdy gadgets.

mimagirl: lol

magicyop: heh. neat!

SheilaRuth: Cool!



mimagirl: do you write using a plot outline, or do you just start writing and see where it takes you?

Michael Buckley: I always do the outline. I tried to do it once to see where it took me and I found it didn't take me anywhere at all. I plot the book out so I know where I'm going but I do it in very general ways because I like to be surprised along the way. I try to write a brief paragraph of each chapter and then a one page summary of the book before I start it. if I don't I get lost.



Mistyleaf: how long do you think you will be writing for? does that make sense?

Michael Buckley: I hope I'll be writing forever. I enjoy it so much. Writing is the best job I've ever had. I hope all of you consider it as a job - trust me, it can be fun and exciting creating worlds for readers to visit.

spottedstar: ok

Mistyleaf: ok!

mimagirl: okey-dokey :D

magicyop: Yes I Know It Is Exciting!



mimagirl: what is your favorite part about writing?

Michael Buckley: I think it's the surprises. Despite plotting the book out and having a very good idea of the story before I type a single letter, I still find that the characters have minds of their owns and will take me places I never expected. The brain is so mysterious. A joke will pop into my head in the middle of the night and then I have to jump up and turn on the computer to get it down. My wife is always wondering what I'm giggling about at three in the morning.

magicyop: I Am Writing A Book Myself!

mimagirl: me too, magicyop!

Mistyleaf: me too!

spottedstar: im riting a book!!!

magicyop: Lol Neat

magicyop: What Is The Titles Of Your Books?

magicyop: Mine Is Called Stardust

Mistyleaf: mine is Storm of Wars

mimagirl: Working title: Caerwen (it has a significant meaning....)

mimagirl: Ooh, I like the title Stardust...

Mistyleaf: me to

magicyop: Lol Thanks

So Is Caerwen

magicyop: And Storm Of Wars



mimagirl: what age is the N.E.R.D.S. series aimed for?

Michael Buckley: I'm not sure, yet. I suspect it's younger than Sisters Grimm but it will probably appeal to very immature adults, too! Lots of booger and stinker jokes. Once that is finished I think I'm going to write a story about a young boy who finds he can pull people out of his dreams into the real world.

Mistyleaf: cool1

spottedstar: that sounds really cool!!!

mimagirl: pull people out of dreams into the real world???! That sounds so interesting! I wanna read it! :)

Oh Gasp

magicyop: Neat



spottedstar: michael,how long did it take 2 get ur first book written and published?

Michael Buckley: It took me three months or so to write a first draft, then another six to rewrite the book. Then, it takes forever for the publisher to actually make the book. I think all in all it took a year and a half before it was in the store.

spottedstar: wow......

Mistyleaf: wow!

magicyop: Gasp

magicyop: I Have Been Working On A Year For My Book

magicyop: And Its Only 130 Pages

magicyop: You Must Write A Lot!

Mistyleaf: wow

mimagirl: keep it up magicyop!

magicyop: And Write Fast!

magicyop: Lol

spottedstar: im only in my second chapter

magicyop: I Might Actually Be Done By Christmas ;)

magicyop: Neat! Good Luck!

Mistyleaf: idont know how many pages mine is

spottedstar: and in kinda stuck......

Mistyleaf: i'm on ch. 16? of my book

magicyop: Neat!



mimagirl: knowing that I have to 1) write a lot and 2) read a lot, do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Michael Buckley: So you've been given that advice already, huh? I'll tell you this. What I find that people really want from stories is the idea that their boring world holds a mysterious, exciting, even magical world beneath it. Think about things like Men in Black, Harry Potter, Monsters, Inc. What they have in common is a secret world just out of the corner of your eye. If you can write stories that make very boring things seem incredibly exciting I suspect you'll go a long way. I call it the magic inside the mundane.

spottedstar: wow...

SheilaRuth: Wow, that's profound!

magicyop: neat



SheilaRuth: Some authors have said that when they write, they are sometimes surprised by what comes out. Like characters take things into their own hands. Does that ever happen to you?

Michael Buckley: Absolutely! Sabrina and Daphne call all the shots in my books. Sometimes I feel like I'm not creating the stories as much as I am just recording what has happened. I find that when I have the girls do things they wouldn't normally do the story will fall apart and I suspect that it's almost mystical in a way. Writing is a very mystical process.

magicyop: indeed

spottedstar: cool

magicyop: i gotta agree

magicyop: my characters took me in a completely unexpected direction

magicyop: I never truly knew what i would write next

spottedstar: my characters started out Much different then they r now

mimagirl: or sometimes I'll have a character that will turn out being completely different than I'd plannned his/her personality to be!

magicyop: exactly

spottedstar: same here

magicyop: my two main characters, used to be incredibly similar

magicyop: but now they truly have emerged as unique and great personalities of their own

mimagirl: that's really exciting to have happen, magicyop

spottedstar: some times i suddenly change things

mimagirl: creating individual, unique characters is hard to do

magicyop: well, i have to agree



sarahbear: Do you have any advice for book writers?

Michael Buckley: Yes, every once in a while put your book down and go out and play. Even if you're an adult - just go outside and waste some time. Too many authors sit in their writing rooms pounding away on their computers and watching the world pass them by. Writing requires real world experience. How can you write about climbing a mountain if you haven't tried it? How can you write about mermaids if you don't know how to swim? You can fake it to some extent but writing is about capturing the truth - so go out there and get some truth.



spottedstar: sry if u were already asked this, but do u favor 1 of ur characters?

Michael Buckley: Elvis, the dog!

spottedstar: elvis is cool



sarahbear: What is your favorite book in the sister's grimm series?

Michael Buckley: Well, as my parents used to tell my brother and me - I love them all the same. I think they are different and I like that - one of the things that's important to me about this series is that the reader gets something completely different each time. Sure, the characters are the same, but the mystery should always be unique, as well as the messages I hope to send. I want each book to be very different from the last.

mimagirl: that is a great goal, michael

magicyop: yes very neat!



mimagirl: what is your all-time favorite book?

Michael Buckley: That's a tough one. I like so many. Like I said, The Mouse and the Motorcycle is great, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Wicked, A People's History of the United States, I read a lot of different stuff. Oh, The World According to Garp was incredible but not appropriate for young readers. If you're under 16 hold off on that one.

magicyop: lol

magicyop: jonathan strange and mr norrel was really good!

mimagirl: i've been meaning to read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

magicyop: its good

mimagirl: it sounds so cool

spottedstar: Go Wicked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



magicyop: Did it take a long time to find someone to publish it?

Michael Buckley: Actually, no. I had three offers from three publishers the first week. It was not the typical story I hear from other authors. I kind of showed up at the right place and the right time - which, actually happens all the time.

magicyop: wow neat

spottedstar: wow....

sarahbear: that's cool

mimagirl: that's amazing



mimagirl: Why do you write?

Michael Buckley: It might be that I'm just not very good at anything else, or, it could be that I enjoy creating a world other people can visit. I love to hear from fans who have their own ideas and stories about what I've invented. There's a lot of personal freedom in being a writer, as well. No suit and tie, no boss breathing down your neck, and no cubicle. I can work in my pajamas, at the park or even in a coffee shop.



sarahbear: i'm writing a book too although I haven't wrote much

magicyop: neat!

sarahbear: it's called top secret information

spottedstar: cool

mimagirl: neat title sarahbear

magicyop: I also have plans for the second and third books in my series ;D

spottedstar: same here(4 the 2nd book)

magicyop: neat



Mistyleaf: this may be an odd question: what is your series about? i have really wanted to read them, they sound good!

Michael Buckley: The series is about two girls who discover they are the last living decendants of the Brothers Grimm, and that their book of fairy tales is actually a history book of real events. They move to a town where everyone is a fairy tale character and become detectives who investigate crimes the fairy tales (called Everafters) commit.

sarahbear: they're awesome books

spottedstar: u sould read them,mistyleaf



mimagirl: how long did you take you to write the first SISTERS GRIMM book?

Michael Buckley: about 9 months with several rewrites - writing is a long process

magicyop: 9 months is pretty short actually

magicyop: lol

spottedstar: in a way, i agree



sarahbear: Who is your favorite writer?

Michael Buckley: John Steinbeck! I've read everything he ever wrote. You should read of Mice and Men.



magicyop: Did you try to base puck off of full stories about puck, or did you simply make up your own character based in the other stories?

Michael Buckley: Puck is a little bit of Shakespeare, and Rudyard Kipling's version as well as a lot of the ancient mythology of him. Puck has been around a long, long time. People used to believe he was real - the only thing I really gave him was his name, the Trickster King.

mimagirl: "The Trickster King" fits him perfectly!

mimagirl: how many books do you plan to have in the series?

Michael Buckley: 9 or 10

spottedstar: Cool!!!

magicyop: neat



Pearlheart: Is Blue Beard ever going to be a character in the sisters Gimm? (kinda random, i know)

Michael Buckley: I'm sure I'll have him in the books eventually. He's so creepy and would be a great villian. Bluebeard is so disturbing. I'd like to see him to head-to-head with Mr. Canis.

magicyop: lol

magicyop: neat

SheilaRuth: That would be cool!

mimagirl: yeah, he is pretty creepy. I think he'd be very interesting to write about

spottedstar: ya

Pearlheart: Can Blue Beard appear as a serial killer? (lol)

Michael Buckley: Uh, that's probably going to get me on the banned book list (though that's not necessarily a bad thing). i'll give it some thought.



magicyop: What will happen with uncle jake? will we see him again in the fourth book?

Michael Buckley: Uncle Jake is not in Book 4 but he's going to be in Book 5 and Book 6. I gave him a girlfriend in Book 4 - Sleeping Beauty.

magicyop: Lol

mimagirl: lol

spottedstar: Cool!!!!!!!!!

sarahbear: awesome

SheilaRuth: Oooh!

Wren: Cool!

magicyop: What about Mr canis Vs The Fafnir? lol

sarahbear: i like mr. canis he is cool

magicyop: yes

spottedstar: ya, he is



mimagirl: how did you get published?

Michael Buckley: I had a friend who knew some editors and agreed to send it in for me. I was lucky that it was well received. I only sent in three sample chapters - not even a whole book.

spottedstar: wow...

mimagirl: well, that's pretty cool :)

spottedstar: Mirror and Puck r my fav characters

mimagirl: Mirror is so cool!

sarahbear: they are cool

magicyop: yeah!

magicyop: uncle jake is also neat

sarahbear: yes

spottedstar: yes, he is



mimagirl: do you read a lot of RETOLD fairy tales by other authors?

Michael Buckley: Not a lot - I've read the Stinky Cheese Man but I try to stay away from them. I think that all the retelling now is actually a bit of a problem for kids who don't know the original stories to begin with. I'm trying to reintroduce these stories to kids who may have only seen the movies - I want them to see what they're missing.

mimagirl: The Little Mermaid, being on her diet....that part made me laugh :D

sarahbear: yeah it was funny

magicyop: Yes that was funny

spottedstar: strange,but funny

magicyop: another case of 'after happily ever after'



Pearlheart: What company publishes your books?

Michael Buckley: Harry N. Abrams



sarahbear: Do sabrina and daphne ever find there parents?

Michael Buckley: The answer to that is at the end of book 3. They're greatest wish comes true but not the way they wanted it.



SheilaRuth: Is Ferryport Landing based on an actual place?

Michael Buckley: Ferryport Landing is based on several small towns in upstate New York. Mostly Poughkeepsie, Cold Spring, Beacon and a few other Hudson River towns. Some of the places I describe in the book are based on real places.

SheilaRuth: Wow, we've been to Poughkeepsie!

sarahbear: That's cool



mimagirl: what was your favorite subject in school?

Michael Buckley: Recess - I wasn't much of a student, to be honest. I was a bit of a daydreamer and a class clown. As I got older I really liked art and art history.

spottedstar: cool

mimagirl: neat!



mimagirl: I loved your descriptions of the donuts in the third book - they made my mouth water! When you want to write a description of food, do you go out and eat it? ;)

Michael Buckley: Good question. Absolutely. There was a place in Cleveland I visited that had donuts they made in the store at five a.m. and they only way to get them before they were gone was to show up before the sun came up. They were hot and sweet and I could eat so many of them, back then. Now, If I eat a donut I gain fifteen pounds!

mimagirl: Mmmm, that donut shop sounds delicious!

SheilaRuth: Mmmm. I'm getting hungry!



mimagirl: when you started writing the first SISTERS GRIMM book, did you plan to make it a series, or did that idea evolve later?

Michael Buckley: I always thought of the books as a series. I wanted the girls to have to go through a lot to get their family back together and I knew I couldn't do that in one or two books.



magicyop: Did you have to do a lot of research for the different artifacts in mirror and that Uncle Jake has?

Michael Buckley: Absolutely, I have to read and re-read fairy tales - even ones you've never heard of to make it as authentic as possible. Sometimes I twist things a bit but for the most part everything that's inside the Mirror is based on an old story.



Wren: How many books will there be in the series?

Michael Buckley: I think 9 or 10.

Wren: I am definitely going to read every single one of them!

sarahbear: that would be cool

spottedstar: me 2!!!

sarahbear: me too

SheilaRuth: Me 3!

Wren: I am 9 and there will be 9 books!



mimagirl: do you get writer's block? how do you deal with it?

Michael Buckley: Writer's block is usually a situation that occurs to writer's when they don't know enough about what they are trying to write. I usually go to the library or do some research on-line to find out more. If that doesn't work - I go to the movies. Sometimes I have to walk away from stories to get my brain working again.

sarahbear: wow

spottedstar: lol

mimagirl: okay...!

mimagirl: "go to the movies"...that sounds good! :D

spottedstar: books r moslty my insperation



mimagirl: when you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Michael Buckley: Everything! I remember wanting to be an animator. I wanted to work for Walt Disney and make cartoons. I also remember wanting to be a disk jockey on the radio and a basketball player. For the most part, I wanted to be Spiderman. Still do! If only I could get a radioactive spider to bite me!

SheilaRuth: lol!

mimagirl: Lol - I know a guy who wants to be Spiderman...he's 30 :D

spottedstar: lolollolol

spottedstar: good luck finding that spider!!

Wren: I am writing a joke book

SheilaRuth: That's great, Wren!

sarahbear: i want to be a writer

SheilaRuth: Cool!



mimagirl: do you have an agent? If so, how did you get one?

Michael Buckley: I do have an agent. She takes care of all the contracts and negotiations. To get an agent you need to show them that you have something that can make money. I would recommend writing for magazines and entering contests. If you can prove that you have what it takes chances are you'll find someone willing to represent you.



Mistyleaf: how many books have you written?

Michael Buckley: So far, 4



mimagirl: do you use a pen name?

Michael Buckley: Nope, my name really is Michael Buckley. Though I have thought of calling my self Sir Anthony Poopiepants, Esquire.

SheilaRuth: rofl

spottedstar: lolol!!!

mimagirl: harharhar



Wren: I really like Puck -- he's the funniest character!

Michael Buckley: Thanks, I think he's funny, too. I think you'll like Book 4 - you get to meet his crazy family.

Wren: Yayyyyyy!!!

[Sun Dec 03 17:07:44 PST 2006] [69.61.147.225] spottedstar Pucks Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



spottedstar: when do you expect to be done with all of the Sisters Grimm books?

Michael Buckley: I'm not sure - I'm in the middle of Book 5 right now and then it's off to Book 6 in which we put Mr. Canis on trial for murder.

SheilaRuth: Oh, no!!!

spottedstar: oh my!!!!!!!!!

mimagirl: oh no!



sarahbear: Does puck's family live outside the boundary?

Michael Buckley: They do - in the books, Wilhelm put the boundary up when rebels threatened to attack the neighboring town, but this didn't happen until 20 years after Ferryport Landing was founded. A few Everafters moved away before that happened. Puck's family lives in New York City.

SheilaRuth: New York City! Oh, wow, that should be interesting!

spottedstar: Can you tell us anything else about the fourth book?

Michael Buckley: You're going to meet a new community of Everafters, including Mother Goose, Sinbad, and The Wizard of Oz.

spottedstar: ooooooo mmmyyyyyyy!!!!!!

Pearlheart: Sinbad!!!!

spottedstar: yay!!!!!!!!!

SheilaRuth: This is so exciting! I can't wait to read the rest of the books!

mimagirl: woah!!!!!!!!!!! cool!!!!!!!!



mimagirl: what's the one question that you never get asked, that you always wish people would ask?

Michael Buckley: You're so handsome. Are you a model?

SheilaRuth: Rofl!

Pearlheart: lol

mimagirl: Rotflol

Pearlheart: lolololol

spottedstar: lololololololololololololl0lololololololololoollllllllll!!!!!!!!!!

mimagirl: :D



Wren: Why is Mr. Canis good when he's really the Big Bad Wolf, and the wolf is bad?

Michael Buckley: Well, I wanted to play around with who is good and who is bad. For instance, Jack from the beanstalk story is often thought of as the hero but he's really a theif and a murderer. The Big Bad Wolf is truly evil, but his alter ego Mr. Canis, is like a seperate person trying to right the wrongs of what's inside him. You'll find out more about him in Book 6, including how he became Mr. Canis and we'll see a return of Little Red Riding Hood!

Wren: Oh, great -- Red Riding Hood -- she is really stubborn!

mimagirl: Red Riding Hood was freaky in the 3rd book :P

spottedstar: shes......a little out there.........



What is book five about?

Michael Buckley: Book 5 centers on a mystery involving stolen magical items, but it also involves an disturbing experience Sabrina has in which she steps into the future, fifteen years, and sees what the world is like when she is 27 years old. She'll meet her future self, and see what has happened to her family. What she see's will shock her and when she gets back she's determined to make sure none of it happens. Plus, we get to meet a few new Everafters and find out what happened to Mayor Charming after he lost the election.

Pearlheart: thats good

SheilaRuth: great!

mimagirl: that sounds very intriguing



mimagirl: what is your favorite thing to do, besides write?

Michael Buckley: I love to excersise, read, and cook. I enjoy movies and art and just like walking about New York City. Every day you will see something you've never seen before.

spottedstar: cool

SheilaRuth: I love New York City!

mimagirl: I would love to go to Nyc...*sigh* :)

spottedstar: same here

spottedstar: not live there, just go 4 a few days

SheilaRuth: I've been there a few times

SheilaRuth: It's amazing

Pearlheart: i live there

Pearlheart: i live in brooklyn

Pearlheart: manhattan is amazing, but nbriklyn is not

spottedstar: Wow..

SheilaRuth: Oh, wow. That's cool Ph



mimagirl: do you ever want to write a book for adults?

Michael Buckley: I don't know. I'm intrigued by the idea but I'm not sure I have anything to say to adults. I wouldn't rule it out but I like entertaining kids a lot more.



mimagirl: for aspiring writers, how important are things like workshops and conferences?

Michael Buckley: Workshops can be a great thing for aspiring writers. Anything that makes you write is going to help, and it's good to get advice about you're writing. Conferences, eh! I find them to be a bit boring but then again, that might just be me. I think taking a writing class might be the most important thing a writer can do. Just write, and be around others who write.



Pearlheart: Can you make the sisters get hold of Aladdins lampin one book, and a really serious catastrophe happens (unless the lamp is not with mirror) right now?)

Michael Buckley: Aladdin's lamp is not inside the mirror, or so mirror says. Though I suspect it's going to pop up eventually. I'd like to see Sabrina and Daphne handling a genie.



Wren: Do you ever have lunch with Puck?

Michael Buckley: Puck is too disgusting to have lunch with.

Pearlheart: roflol

spottedstar: lol

SheilaRuth: I'll bet!

Pearlheart: i want his room

Wren: Haha!

mimagirl: his room does sound way cool

spottedstar: Meeeee 2!!!

Pearlheart: i know

spottedstar: except 4 the boxing kangoroo...

Wren: I do too!

Pearlheart: then my brother will not bug me

Pearlheart: ]and i could do my hw in peace!

mimagirl: are puck's family in book 4 based on fairytale/mythical characters, too?

Michael Buckley: Puck's family is based on William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." His family is King Oberon, Queen Titania and his brother is Mustardseed.

spottedstar: wwwooooowwwwww...

Pearlheart: *bliss*

SheilaRuth: Ohhhhh!



Pearlheart: Where in NYc does Puck's family live?

Michael Buckley: Puck's family lives in The Bowery in NYC. The family has fallen on hard times and are really struggling to keep their kingdom together, and hidden from humans.

spottedstar: wait:puck Really Is Royalty!!!!!!!!!

Pearlheart: duh

Pearlheart: lol

SheilaRuth: Lol

Pearlheart: why is everyone so interested in puckl

SheilaRuth: Puck is funny



spottedstar: Can you think of the wierdest question someone has ever asked you?

Someone asked me if Peter Pan was real. She happened to be dressed as a fairy at the time and had a magic wand she made out of tin foil.

Pearlheart: okay

spottedstar: lololo

SheilaRuth: Awww, that's cute. Unless she was an adult

Pearlheart: Was the fairy person that asked you the question an adult? What was her age?

Michael Buckley: She was an adult - she was probably in her late 40's and had blue hair. Very weird.

SheilaRuth: Ohhh, that is weird then!

mimagirl: woah, Very weird!!!



mimagirl: which fairy tale character do you wish you could meet in real life?

Michael Buckley: Oh, I'd like to meet Puck. I think he'd drive me nuts but a flying boy who can turn into animals would be a pretty amazing friend.

spottedstar: ya, he would



mimagirl: what does a typical day in your writing life look like

Michael Buckley: That's what's so great about being a writer - there's no such thing as a typical day. Sometimes I spend the whole day writing, others I do book signings or speeches at schools. Sometimes I meet with my publisher or I spend the day answering fan mail that comes through the website at www.sistersgrimm.com.

mimagirl: sounds fun ;)



Wren: Is the Blue Plate Special a real restaurant?

Michael Buckley: It really is a real restaurant. It's in Rutherford, New Jersey. They have great french fries. I get them with gravy and cheese.

SheilaRuth: Mmmmmm!

spottedstar: lol

Wren: Yummy!

Pearlheart: gravy and cheese french fries?

SheilaRuth: Donuts! French fries! This chat is making me so hungry!

mimagirl: Mmmmmmmmm!

spottedstar: really!!

spottedstar: and i barely had dinner...



Sandstripe: Are the sisters based on anyone in real life?

Michael Buckley: Sabrina and Daphne are based on a few friends I had a long time ago. Theyw ere two sisters and always arguing but they loved each other a lot. Granny Relda is based on my real grandmother. I base a lot of my characters on people I've known in my life.

mimagirl: i was wondering the same thing



SheilaRuth: Ok, the questions have tapered off, so we're going to wrap up and let Michael get back to his life

Michael Buckley: Everyone, thanks so much for your questions and time! I had a lot of fun talking to everyone and I hope you did, too. Book 4 "once Upon A Crime" comes out in April of 2007. Thanks, and remember, The Future is Grimm!

mimagirl: can't wait for the next book!

mimagirl: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer all of our questions

SheilaRuth: Thank you so much for coming! This was really fun!

spottedstar: oh... bybybybybybybybybybybybybybybybyby

mimagirl: I had a great time chatting

Pearlheart: ooooh...

spottedstar: me 2!!!!

mimagirl: Bye y'all!

spottedstar: byyyyyyyyyy

SheilaRuth: bye, Michael!

spottedstar: bbbyyyyyyeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wren: Goodnight everyone.

Pearlheart: bye

spottedstar: bye!

mimagirl: bye

Michael Buckley: Thanks everyone!

SheilaRuth: Bye!

spottedstar: Bbbbyyyyeeee!!!!!!

SheilaRuth: Thanks for coming!

Sandstripe: Bubye!

spottedstar: i had a great time

spottedstar: thanx!!

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