THE ORIGINAL IDEA FOR FORTUNE WOOKIEE

In January, 2011, I got an email from a SUPER-BIG-TIME YA author who I had never met. It was Jay Asher, author of The Future of Us and 13 Reasons Why. And the email said:

I’m sure you’ve heard this or already thought about it, but you know those paper fortune tellers kids make that have 4 sections where you can lift the flaps and see your futute? Well, it kind of looks like a large mouth that opens and shuts when in use. So…

Return of the Fortune Wookie

Oh well. Had to try!

I wrote back: OMJawa!!!!!! That is so genius! Can I steal it??

He said yes! His idea fit in so well with what I needed to do with the series, but I hadn’t seen it. After his email, though, Book 3 just came pouring out!

So, that’s why FW is dedicated to Jay, who  is also a REALLY nice guy!

 

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The ORIGINAL PITCH FOR DARTH PAPER

I was looking through old emails for something when I ran into this, my first pitch for a sequel to Origami Yoda:

Origami Yoda Episode II: Harvey Strikes Back

It is a dark time at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School…
After suffering several Origami Yoda-related humiliations, Harvey betrays Dwight, getting him suspended from school by Principal Rabbski. Origami Yoda pleads with Tommy and Kellen to save Dwight by making a new casefile — one that will show that Dwight’s presence benefits the school.
They and their friends record cases such as Origami Yoda & the Pre-Eaten Wiener, Origami Yoda & the Exploding Pizza Bagels and Origami Yoda & Wonderland: The Musical.
But Harvey has a secret plan that could make Dwight’s suspension permanent.

 

Notice anything missing?

That’s right: Darth Paper is missing! SuperFolders insisted on having a Darth Vader book and I realized they were right! If Harvey was going to strike back, of course he would have an Origami Darth Vader!

So I wrote the book…. then I realized that instead of just saying Origami Darth Vader over and over again, his real name should be DARTH PAPER!