An Online Event with K.A Applegate
(May 1997)

part Three

Posted by: Scholastic Network
Subject: Welcome, K. A. Applegate

Scholastic Network was pleased to welcome K. A. Applegate for a special online event December 1-12 1997. Following are some highlights:

 


Posted by: Anthony&Lyle
Subject: Animorph's Rules
Date: 12/5/97 5:00:00 PM

I was wondering if you could make a Animorphisis book whith an kING Cobra? If you can please do.

 


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: Animorph's Rules
Date: 12/6/97 10:09:00 AM

It so happens that in book #20, Marco will moph a cobra. Cool?

--KAA


Posted by: Lyle&Anthony
Subject: Re: Re: Animorph's Rules
Date: 12/9/97 5:39:00 PM

Hi!Thanks for answering our message.How long will your Animorph seires go on? I hope you'll have a great time writing #20.Good Luck!
BYE!


Posted by: Ashley
Subject: Questions and Ideas
Date: 12/5/97 5:27:00 PM

Ok, K.A. I have a few questions for ya.
Do any adults ever find out about the Animorphs and what they're doing? Like their parents or someone?
In the Andalite Chronicles, the Ellimist saidthat he played "a dark game" with someone even older than the Ellimists. Have any idea who that is? Hey, wait a minute... Is this another "seed"?
Could there ever be more human who fight the Yeerks? Like...another Andalite gave them the power to morph or something and, like Elfangor, never lived to tell about it? Maybe even in the Animorphs own town?
How far in advance do you plan your books? Like, book #14 is just going up on the web site, but your already planning the plot for book....18? 20? 30?
Will Marco ever get a girlfriend? I mean...jeez. He thinks he's so cute and a total girl-magnent, but he's the only one in the group who doesn't like (And I mean Like) anyone. Maybe if he got a girlfriend his ego wouldn't be so big.
Are there anymore Yeerk traitors that the Animorphs will meet besides Eslin?
Why don't you write an Andalite-English dictionary or something as a little side edition to your books? You could publish a new edition every six books or so. Or not even publish it. Just put it on the web site for anyone who wants it to print out? I think that would be cool. And another thing for the website. A monthly Animorphs trivia thing where you could sned in the answers through E-mail or get automaticly scored. The winners each month could be posted...and maybe get some sort of prize.
The same with stories. Fans could write original Animorph stories and send them in, and the winners get something. Like the contest, only it's around all year.
I'm sorry this is so long, but I could talk all day if I wanted to. I'm not exactly a quiet person. :-)
Your #1 fan (or at least in the top 10),
Ashley
P.S. Feel free to use these Ideas, that's why I'm posting them (Duh).


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: Questions and Ideas
Date: 12/6/97 10:16:00 AM

The force the Ellimist fights is the seed from Book#6: the big red eye Jake sees as the Yeerk in his head is dying. No name, yet. But this creature has taken notice of the Animorphs.

I don't know about additional groups of Animorphs. Only these Animorphs send me their stories.

I have started planning my books a little more in advance lately since I was driving my editor crazy procrastinating. I've written up through #19, and planned up through #25. Although, when I say "planned" it's usually something pretty sketchy.

You want Marco's phone number? Is that what you're saying?

In number #19 Cassie will have a very interesting encounter with a very interesting Yeerk. And in #16 Jake and the gang will meet a Yeerk who . . . well, can't say more without giving it away.

Those are all good ideas, but I know zip about computers. And as for a dictionary that would require some heavy thinking on my part.

--KAA


Posted by: LazerKat
Subject: My Webpage address
Date: 12/5/97 5:41:00 PM

I'd like to give you my webpage address, but first a few questions:
1) How is Hork-Bajir pronounced? Is it Hork-Bajir with the "i" pronounced as a "u"?
2) I know the Animorphs are about my age (12), but are they 12 or 13, because In some books I get the feeling they're 12, and in others 13.
3) Is the new Animorph going to be a boy or girl?
4) I was wondering... what are 17-19? called?
5) And what do they morph on the cover?


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: My Webpage address
Date: 12/6/97 10:20:00 AM

1) Buh-JEER.

2) Ain't telling. Could be 12, could be 13, 14 or 15.

3) Boy. But don't jump the gun on assuming we'll end up with a group of seven.

4) I never keep track of titles because I don't make up the titles.

5) I think on 17 it's Rachel morphing a bat, on 18 it should be Ax morphing a mosquito, and 19 will be Cassie as a butterfly.

I will certainly check out your web page, and thanks so much for having it.

--KAA


Posted by: ASTRO88001
Subject: TV SHOW
Date: 12/5/97 5:42:00 PM

Is there going to be an animorphs TV show on nick?


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: TV SHOW
Date: 12/6/97 10:21:00 AM

Yep. Next fall.

--KAA


Posted by: AndaliteChick
Subject: What am I to do in the face of holiness!?uh....Hi!
Date: 12/5/97 6:10:00 PM

Ummmm....uhhh....oh dear....What am I supposed to do in the face of brilliance?! of holiness!? K.A. YOU RULE!!! (immediately throws herself onto the floor and begins to worship frantically.) (bow,bow,bow,pray,pray,pray.)
Oh holy one, may I ask a
few hundred questions from you? (yeah,yeah, i know. cut down on the caffeine and chocolate.)
I read "The Hobbit" a few months ago, and then I read #8 immediately afterwards. Is there any connection between the Middle-Earth town of Esgaroth and Ax's middle name, Esgarrouth? Hmmm....

A few chat friends and I made up a game and thought you might be interested. We don't have a specific title made up for it yet, but we usually call it "BetaTerra." It's a role-playing game that is kind of a weird mix of Animorphs and fantasy. It starts out by picking a character, any character pertaining to Animorphs. People usually choose some kind of hybrid. Like, Hillary is Dyana, a Hork-Balite. My character is Lyllsphyrre, an ellimist-human hybrid. To pick a character, you answer three questions. What is your characters: Gender? Species? Name?
Then you're ready to start. The game begins on a small planet called BetaTerra, or second earth. The planet was created by ellimists. (This is where the fantasy comes in) Well, BetaTerra is populated with all of Earth's mystical creatures, Eg., Unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, etc, because with the arrival and evolution of so many new species, earth simply couldn't take so many lifeforms and was becoming overpopulated. So, in order to save earth, many species had to be relocated.
After you get all the background info on BetaTerra, you just start going around, making up the game as you go along. Whaddya think?

Okay. And also, do you check out much phan phiction?
Because on Hillary's Anipage there is some pretty good fiction! Animorphiles, too. (incidently, I wrote the Tarranda-Asylle-Ishnatar story on Anipage. If ya go there, check out SkeetNa's stories, Andalite Vigilates, too.)

I am also gonna try to persuade you to make a female andalite. Please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top? And fudge? Caramel? ALMONDS!?!?? Huh? Huh? Huh?
If you did, would it be, like, related to Ax, or maybe be his girlfriend or something? Pleeeeeeeease? Female andalites are cool, too!! There aren't enough female Animorphs!! PleasepleasepleasepleasepleasePPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEE!?!?!?

And what do you think of the andalite name Tarranda-Asylle-Ishnatar? (female, of course. My andalitechick character.)

Have you ever read:
Watership Down by Richard Adams?
Diadem series by John Peel?
Anything by Marguerite Henry, Walter Farley, or Jean Craighead George?
What about Madeliene L'Engle?

Seeya!!

The rockin'est
AndaliteChick
that ever set
cloven hooves
upon earth soil.

(scenically gallops off into the sunset, looking for yeerks to trample.)


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: What am I to do in the face of holiness!?uh....Hi!
Date: 12/6/97 10:37:00 AM

Hmmm, holiness, huh? Brilliance, okay. Holiness? I don't know about that. Once had an editor (not at Scholastic, where all editors are perfect) tell me I seemed sweet but then would suddenly turn into a barracuda. Hey! Maybe that's where I got the idea for Animorphs.

You have a tremendous imagination. Perhaps better than mine. Maybe you should think about writing as a career. You get to work at home, wear sweat pants and you never have to even meet your boss.

Did I take Esgarrouth from Tolkien? I don't know, maybe unconsciously. I did consciously take the name "Yeerk" from Tolkien. The elvish word for "Orc" is "Yrch." That was a deliberate curtsey in the direction of Tolkien. I have read shockingly little sci fi or fantasy, but I have read Lord of the Rings.

I have just sent in an outline for Hork-Bajir Chronicles that features a female Andalite. But for other reasons I'm not thrilled with the outline, so things could change. One way or the other, though, we will eventually meet a female Andalite. The Andalites are awfully sexist, I'm afraid.

I am just beginning to check out fan web pages. I'm compiling a list and I keep promising to do it then get distracted.

I've read most of the authors you list with the exception of Mr. Peel and Ms. L'Engle. Just haven't gone there yet.

--KAA


Posted by: Kellen
Subject: characters
Date: 12/5/97 7:39:00 PM

Who is your favorite character?


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: characters
Date: 12/6/97 1:23:00 PM

Well, that changes. It's not just that I like whoever I happen to be writing about at that moment. It's more like sometimes the characters get on my nerves for one reason or another. Lately Jake has been getting on my nerves because I haven't felt I did a very good job with the two most recent Jake books. So I blame him. If my next Jake book is really good I'll love Jake again.

I haven't been "mad" at Marco yet, but each of the others has caused me trouble at one time or another.

--KAA


Posted by: Jessica
Subject: IDEA!!!!!!!!
Date: 12/5/97 7:44:00 PM

I have an Idea!
Suppose another, but similar race of andalites, evolved on one of their moons??
I thought about one with ivory hooves, rainbow skin, golden hair.
Good Idea???


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: IDEA!!!!!!!!
Date: 12/6/97 1:25:00 PM

Sure, why not? The current Andalites are a little weird-looking, aren't they?

--KAA


Posted by: Erin
Subject: HORK-BAJIR
Date: 12/5/97 7:46:00 PM

Do Horks bear their young live, or lay eggs, or split in two,or.....
What is the average IQ for a normal Hork?
Are you seriously thinking about using anyone's ideas?
MINE?


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: HORK-BAJIR
Date: 12/6/97 1:28:00 PM

I grab ideas wherever I can get them. I just sent in my Hork-Bajir Chronicles outline and it contains two ideas I heard here: a female Andalite, and the idea that some Horks might be designated "thinkers."

I'd guess Hork-Bajir would be a bit less bright than the average human, but a little brighter than the average chimpanzee.

--KAA

 


Posted by: Black Hawk
Subject: Re: Alloran and Tobias?
Date: 12/6/97 12:14:00 PM

Ax didn't kill Alloran because when he had the chance to, Alloran was in his right mind. If you knew a person who had been a host for the Yeerks (bear with me) and they were themselves for a minute and asked you to kill them, would you?
Tobias didn't catch the Visser because the little slug crawled into the river and floated away. Tobias can't see through water, so he Couldn't catch him. Or that's my theory anyway...

-Jessica


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: Alloran and Tobias?
Date: 12/6/97 1:37:00 PM

Alloran had been bitten by a snake--Ax in morph. The venom was in his body and the only people able to save him in time were the approaching Yeerks. Sure, Ax could have destroyed Alloran but Ax, like humans, reveres life and doesn't do things like that.

--KAA


Posted by: AniJared
Subject: Questions
Date: 12/6/97 11:44:00 AM

Will the Animorphs ever Morph something from different planets? If they could all get one of Visser 3's Morphs they could destroy him Will they ever morph jaguars or monkeys and keep those morphs? Does Ax have a dog?


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: Questions
Date: 12/6/97 1:39:00 PM

In Animorphs #18, an Ax book, the kids will morph an alien species called "Leerans."

Ax does not have a dog. He may well have fleas, though.

--KAA


Posted by: Ax
Subject: Sorry-Forgot to post this last message:
Date: 12/6/97 11:55:00 AM

In science class, we are learning about astronimy now. We just finished a chapter about telecopes. One of them was the Yerkes telescope, pronounced exactly how you pronounce Yeerks. Did you realized this?


-Ax


Posted by: Black Hawk
Subject: Bach? Mozart? Or just NIN?
Date: 12/6/97 11:57:00 AM

Hey, in book #8 when Ax said that all human music is terrible, did he mean ALL music? I mean, has he heard all of our music? Or just like, Nine Inch Nails? :/
Has he ever heard flute music? Even if he did think it was awful, I'll bet he would think it was interesting, for obvious reasons.

-Jessica


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: Bach? Mozart? Or just NIN?
Date: 12/6/97 1:41:00 PM

Maybe Ax is just not a music lover. In Andalite Chronicles Elfangor heard some human music and sort of got used to it. But as a rule I guess Andalites just don't share our musical tastes.

--KAA


Posted by: Jared
Subject: Please Reply to this I beg K.A. Applegate
Date: 12/6/97 12:39:00 PM

Here are some Questions?

1.Why don't the Animorphs go to New York, sneak onto David Letterman as ants and morph out on the middle of the stage and tell the world about the yeerks? They will have to listen and they will win.

2. Why don't they trap Tom for 3 days while Ax impersonates him and free Tom?

3. Why don't you tell about a lot of the future animorphs on your website?

4. Is zone 91 like Area 51?

5. Is the president infested?

6. Were you an Animorph when you were a kid and thought if you wrote about it you would have a great book on you hands?


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: Please Reply to this I beg K.A. Applegate
Date: 12/6/97 1:52:00 PM

Sneak onto Letterman? Sorry, but Dave's show is taped at 5pm and broadcast later. There would be plenty of time for Yeek forces to destroy the tape. Now, I'm pretty sure Dave isn't a Controller. But what about Paul Shaffer? What about Inky the cue card guy?

As for the president, I don't know. You gotta think a Yeerk would do a better job of avoiding scandals. I suspect the president is pure human. On the other hand, I'm confident that Newt Gingrich and Al Gore are both Controllers. And Senator Pat Moynihan is some kind of alien, I just don't know what.

Zone 91 like Area 51? Hmmm. There is a certain resemblance, eh?

--KAA


Posted by: Nikki B.
Subject: Visser One's Host?
Date: 12/6/97 1:42:00 PM

What species did Visser One have for hosts before Marco's mom? I think in order to be the most powerful visser,Visser One must start somewhere down the Yeerks empire too, just like Visser Three. It's o.k. if you don't know. I am just curious. Thank you for your time.


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: Visser One's Host?
Date: 12/6/97 1:55:00 PM

My sense is that Yeerks work their way up. They start as Gedds. Then they go either toward Taxxons or Hork-Bajir. The more technical, science-oriented Yeerks would probably go Taxxon, while strictly military types would gravitate to the Hork-Bajir. Since humans are a new species of hosts they'd most likely be given to Yeerks of high rank or high intelligence.

--KAA


Posted by: Bill
Subject: QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!! I NEED ANSWERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 12/6/97 2:33:00 PM

K.A. ,

I think you're books are the greatest!!! I'm not going to waste you're time with questions like 'where do the animorphs live' and 'can I have your e-mail address?'.
Here are my questions

1. Are you going to make a 'Ellimist Chronicals' ?

2. Is it true #18 is called The Death?

3. Who do the Ellimists play a 'dark game' with?(Andalite Chronicals)

4. You said that you might stop writing the series. If you do, are you going to end it with some sort of a conclusion book or just leave us fans hanging?

5. Will the Animorphs ever get a new character and/or see the Chee again?

6. Do you think you should give away major parts of your books to people who havent read them. ( I have them all,
1-13,Megamorphs,A.C.)

#1 fan (or atleast one of them)

Bill


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!! I NEED ANSWERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 12/7/97 10:37:00 AM

It's difficult to see how I could ever do an Ellimist
Chronicles. The Ellimists have almost nothing in common
with normal humans. They exist on a plane I'd be hard
put to describe.

I haven't gotten around to deciding much about the Ellimist's
mysterious adversaries. I don't always work things out
far in advance. I like to make stuff up as I go along.

If and when I wrap up the Animorphs I will do a concluding
book.

Erek the Chee is a sort of "featured player" as they say
in TV: like Newman on Seinfeld. He shows up every now
and then. In book #20 we will get a new Animorph. At least
. . . well, I'd better not tell you any more, which, I think,
answers your final question.

--KAA


Posted by: Kate
Subject: Re: Re: QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!! I NEED ANSWERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 12/8/97 1:24:00 AM

Will the new animorph be male or female???


Posted by: Black Hawk
Subject: Ellimists
Date: 12/11/97 1:00:00 PM

You know who the Ellimists remind me of? The Q from Star Trek. Except the Q interfere all they want...and I guess they don't really care about stuff the way Ellimists do. Hrm. Do the Ellimists hang out in their own created reality like Q with The Continuum? Or do you know? Toodles..

-Jessica

P.S. Ever heard of the Super String theory? Just wondering..


Posted by: Stephen
Subject: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REPLY AGAIN!!!!
Date: 12/6/97 2:45:00 PM

Dear KA

I was wondering what new morphs everyone will get from
#14-25

Stephen


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REPLY AGAIN!!!!
Date: 12/7/97 10:39:00 AM

Let's see, the ones I know for sure are hammerhead
shark, cobra, mosquito, Leeran (an alien species),
Tyrannosaurus and Deinonychus, butterfly and rhinoceros.

--KAA


Posted by: Alberto
Subject: JUST QUESTIONS FOR THE GENIOUS K.A.A TO ANWER
Date: 12/6/97 3:12:00 PM

Dear KAA,

Our planet is called Earthe but noone ever tells me the name of the planet theandalite,taxxons,yeerks and hork bajir live in the just say home world.
are these right:

Andalasia

Yeerkon

Hork-Bajirotopia

Taxxonia

If not please tell me.

Please anwer this 3 questions:

In number #18 when ax gets reunited with his people will the animorphs be honored by the andalites or disgraced?

i herd about some kids who got posters with the coveres of #14,15,16,17 but i don't know how to get those posters, If you can't anwer right now please find out
and e-mail me at:
BETOMORPHS@AOL.com

How do you tell an andalite girl fom an andalite boy?

Please the question I want anwered the most is about the poster but please try to anwer them all.

Anyway you are the best author that ever lived since the Prcambrian era.
I love your books times a quintillion times a quintillion.

" I give your books 1,000,000 times a quintillion thumbs up"

Hope these words cheer you up, and I hope you have fun writing animorphs because I know you have fun writing animorphs.

One of your #1 fans,
Alberto

P.S. thats's my real neme, weird isn't it?


Posted by: Linda
Subject: Re: JUST QUESTIONS FOR THE GENIOUS K.A.A TO ANWER
Date: 12/6/97 6:33:00 PM

Dear K.A. Applegate,
Hi! My name is Joel. I am one of your biggest fans. I was just wondering. How did you come up with the wonderful idea of the Animorph books? You probably get that question a lot, but I would really like to know. Thanks!
Joel, # one fan.


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: JUST QUESTIONS FOR THE GENIOUS K.A.A TO ANWER
Date: 12/7/97 10:47:00 AM

It's an interesting point about planet names. Basically,
"earth" is just a word that means "this planet". It was
originated back when people thought this was the only
planet. Other species would likely also have gone
through periods when they thought their planet was the
only one. So they'd have named their own planets "earth"
or some equivalent.

I've always thought it was strange on Star Trek when species
say they are from Belarus Four or whatever. Like they
knew from the start that there were Belarus' one through
three.

But then lots of things about Star Trek seem odd to me:
a million species and apparently the only major differences
between them are the bridges of their noses and their ears.
Not to mention the fact they all speak English.

I like your planet names. Maybe I'll use one of them at
some point, if you don't mind.

Okay, the questions:
1) Neither. You'll have to read it to learn more.
2) I don't know where they get those. Sorry.
3) I haven't totally decided. I'm working on that
very issue right now.

Thanks for all the thumbs. Sorry I don't have more answers.

--KAA


Posted by: K. A. Applegate
Subject: Re: Re: JUST QUESTIONS FOR THE GENIOUS K.A.A TO ANWER
Date: 12/7/97 10:55:00 AM

It didn't pop into my head as one big idea.
It was a sequence of smaller ideas.

Idea number One: write a series for middle readers.
Idea number Two: make it about animals.
Three: Hey, wouldn't it be cool if you could find a way
to put kids into the heads of animals?
Four: Oh, man, that means science fiction, doesn't it?
Five: I don't know anything about science fiction!
Six: So, make it up as you go along, it'll be fun.
Seven: Okay, so an alien gives kids the power to turn
into animals.
Eight: So what? What are they gonna do with this power,
become some kind of Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys thing?
Nine: No, with that power they need a bigger goal. We
have to think in terms of Invasion of the Bodysnatchers.
Ten: Cool! I'll call it The Changelings!
Eleven: Okay, Scholastic says Animorphs is a better
title.
Twelve: They're right.
Thirteen: Darn it. I hate when they're right.

And that's how it happened.

--KAA

Parts [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ]

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