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Frequently Asked Questions

John MarsdenMost Frequently Asked Question:

"I would like to email John Marsden, but I can't find his email address on the site - can you please tell me what his email address is?"

Although, like everybody else, I love getting emails, I am not quite so keen about answering them. That's probably much like everybody else too. I have had to take my email address off the website, as I felt obliged to answer each one I received, and although many of them were wonderful and moving and memorable, I soon found myself doing nothing from 7 pm to midnight, every night, seven days a week, but answering emails. So, with the greatest regret, that's why my email address isn't here. Hope you enjoy the site anyway, and that the FAQ's are of some help to you if you had something specific you wanted to ask. Best wishes, John Marsden.

I would love to know, if you could tell me, what Tracey was in prison for in Letters From the Inside, and why Mandy suddenly stopped writing... is it because she got attacked by her brother or something else?

You can work out the ending for Letters From the Inside by reading Mandy's last letter, and reading Tracey's dream on Boxing Day. Not only can you work out what happened, you can even work out what time it happened.

Are you still running writers' workshops at Tye Estate?

Unfortunately I've had to put writers' camps and writers' conferences on hold for a while. Much as I love doing them, it is impossible to run the school, teach there full time, keep my own writing career going, AND have a life, all at the same time! But, watch this space, as I'm keen to revive them further down the track.

Were the ideas for the Tomorrow series bubbling inside you for a long time?

Yes, for many years I had a vague idea that it would be interesting to write about an invasion of Australia, but I hadn't thought about it much and I didn't know quite how to go about it. It's always tough to tackle a huge thing like an invasion or a war. Gradually I started to realise that the only way to do it would be to write about one small group of people, not to attempt to tell the story of the whole war.

I think that is the same for any big topic. You tell the big stories by telling a mini-story. You tell the story of Cyclone Tracy by telling the story of a couple of individuals or families.

Are there going to be any more books in the Tomorrow Series or the Ellie Chronicles?

Much as I love Ellie and her friends, I will never never never never never never never never write another book about them. On the other hand, nothing in life is certain. No one can tell the future. On the other hand, I am not a politician, and I generally keep my promises. On the other hand, I miss Ellie. On the other hand, 10 books is enough. On the other hand, I'm curious to know what happens to them next. On the other hand, I want to move on with my life, and write other stuff. Does that answer your question? I hope so, because I don't have any hands left.