January 2009

Click on the question below to discover the answers!

I rule the world! Ever heard of me? I am Scarlet! I have written to u loads of times this is my Q: what was your best and worst subject at school? My worst is maths and best is English, playtime, lunch time and home time! - Scarlet

Thanks for your question, oh Great Leader Scarlet. My best subjects at school were English and Teacher-Annoying. My worst subject was Ruling the World. I'm glad to see you’re better at it than I was.

Does Mr Gum always watch Bag of Sticks? - Dion, age 8

Nope! See the end of ‘Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire’ for a list of some of Mr Gum’s other favourite programmes, Dion. In addition to these he also likes watching ‘The Adventures of Jasper the Clumsy Labrador’, especially the one where Jasper is blindfolded and then put in a field of mousetraps.

hi Andy, just so there is a question about Oscar in this month’s questions - how old is Oscar? - Dan Burmiston

In the interests of research I phoned my mum and she had this to say: ‘He’s probably about eleven because we got him from the Cats’ Home so we’re not quite sure. About eleven, yeah? Why don’t you put up a picture of him? Can’t you put a picture of him on the website? Are you not allowed to?’ So now you know. But I’m certainly not putting a picture of Oscar up, what’s all the fascination with Oscar the cat? I’m meant to be the famous one here, aren’t I? Well, aren’t I?!

Hi Andy (cool name), your books are super cool Me and my brother love them (my brother is called Albert).My dad has been trying to figure out what Lamonic Bibber is or means (my dad though it was an anagram is it?) being an author must be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cool. (especially when it includes comedy) Have you got any new books that you are writing at the moment? From a great fan of your work - Isabel, age nine

Thanks, Izzy (even cooler name). As far as I know Lamonic Bibber isn’t really an anagram of anything much, although I suppose it is an anagram of ‘Lamonic Bibbre’. Being an author is often sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cool, indeed! But at other times it’s sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo difficult and suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch hard work. Now, we must stop using quite so many vowels or we’re nt gng t hv ny lft fr th rst f ths sntnce.
PS – Ys, ‘m wrkng n nthr ‘Mr Gm’ bk rght nw!!

Hi Andy, I was at the book thing when you were at Dundee rep in fife. I really like your books. I am on mr gum and the power crystals. it is hilarious. I really like writing stories at school and at home on my laptop (FYI its pink). I am making a book called mergit the boggie! Here’s the blurb. one day mergrite the boggie was just about to be picked suddenly a mysterious figure emerged from the green slime will he be saved? Well what do you think Andy? yours sincerely charli morris aged 11 st.monans primary school. - Charli

Hi Charli, glad to hear you like the books. Not so sure about the pink laptop but hey, what do I know about fashion? ‘Mergit the Boggie’ sounds like a very fine tale indeed. It’s got everything – green slime, mysterious figures and of course a ‘boggie’. I’m not exactly sure what a boggie might be but I’ve a horrible sneaking suspicion I can guess.

you said that Friday o' leary's brother was Monday o' leary-can you include him sometime? ps: does Polly go to "St. Pterodactyl's school for the poor"? - Sandy

But Sandy, if I include Monday O’Leary, I’ll also have to include Friday’s other brothers – Tuesday O’Leary, Wednesday O’Leary, Thursday O’Leary, Saturday O’Leary and Queequeg O’Leary. Otherwise they’ll feel left out.
PS - Polly does not go to St Pterodactyl’s.

I’m writing a book called MR GUM in FRANCE is that ok with you? - Tararadeboomdeaye or tara

Fine by me, Tara. Just don’t make it better than mine and I’ll be happy.

Hello, Andy. I'm sixteen, and I'd like to say that I think your books are brilliant, amazing, awesome, and rainbow-tastic! But I was wondering, as I often do when reading your books, if you ever laugh whilst writing them? Also, orange is an awesome colour, don't you think? It goes very well with blue. :) - Lykaios

Hey, Lykaios! Thank you so much! My knees are blushing. To answer your questions: Yes, I do sometimes laugh when I’m writing my books. When I get a really good joke or a really funny idea for a scene or something I do laugh. And when I’m really pleased with a funny bit I have to stop work and dance around the room for awhile (true). The other night I wrote a bit for the next book and I was so happy with it I put on some music and danced around for about twenty minutes! I hope that bit stays in the book, sometimes I have to cut things out even though they’re funny. We’ll see. Also, yes – orange is an awesome colour, definitely one of the best there is.

Hi I am writing a book called TWO WORLDS but I don't know how to start it please help - Sam Austen

Hi Sam. Well, firstly you’ve got an absolutely brilliant title there! I love it. Now, the writing part is very tricky and starting to write it can be the trickiest part of all. Unfortunately there is nothing for it but to just sit down and start writing. I recommend you simply write as much of the story as you can without worrying how good or bad it is. Even if you feel like giving up just keep writing more and more and more chapters. Don’t worry if the plot seems to be getting out of control – just keep adding more and more. See if you can get right to the end of the story. Once you’ve got to the very end of the story, then you can go back over it and see what bits to change to make it better. But the most important thing of all is to get to the end of the first version.

Have you seen Ghostbusters if you haven't you should IT'S GREAT - Belinda (again)

Yes, I have seen ‘Ghostbusters’ and what’s more I saw it at the cinema when it first came out. That’s how old I am. But it’s a great film, yes. And the bit when the Marshmallow Man appears is very good on the big screen.

Hey Andy just calling to ask is spirit of the rainbow mrs lovely’s son you know cos he gets those fruit chews and is he Polly's boyfriend please reply truthfully and make another book yours sincerely - Emma

Ah, very good questions, Emma – but I’m afraid the answer to both questions is a big fat ‘NO’. Although Polly may secretly fancy him, I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll ask her when I next see her.

Hi me again sorry my sister knocked my hand anyway my question was will you say what you are going to write after mr gum? - Tamara

I’m afraid I can’t tell you for one simple reason, Tamara – I just don’t know. But there’s a pretty good chance it will be quite odd.

Do you like Star Wars? What’s your favourite Mr Gum character? Mine is Alan Taylor. Can you come to my house soon? - Asher Joseph Melville

Yes, I do, especially the light sabre battles. Polly. I like Alan Taylor too. Sorry, Egmont keep me locked up in a cage at all times so I can’t go anywhere.

is your real name Mungo Bubbles? - Eleanor Kate Verrier

No. Is yours?

I am 11 years old and have won two story contests, both published in the newspaper. My friends say being an author would be cool, but just so I'm sure I want to spend the rest of my life writing stories is what I want, what's it like being an author? - Leah Carter

Hello! And congratulations on winning those contests. Well, you don’t have to spend the rest of your life writing stories – you could always try it for a while and see how it goes. But if you really do want to be an author I’d say it’s a lot of hard work and it can be very difficult and frustrating at times. On the other hand, everything is hard work, that’s life! And being an author is definitely one of the coolest things you can do. Just imagine having all those readers reading your words and enjoying your stories. Plus you sometimes get invited to parties with other authors and quite often there are free sandwiches and cakes and things at those parties. So it is really quite a good life on average.