Bruce Coville on Writing, Empathy, and Cherishing Oddballs On “Good News York,” the host interviews children’s author Bruce Coville about his career and the impact of books like “Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher” and “My Teacher Is an Alien.” Coville describes writing across formats, his sixth-grade teacher Mrs. Crandall inspiring him (and receiving the dedication), and how “My Teacher Is an Alien” became his breakthrough after years of work. He discusses why negative childhood memories linger, how arts projects and plays matter in schools, and argues that stories teach empathy better than writing to preach lessons. Coville reflects on being an “oddball,” encourages supporting excluded kids, and shares classroom experiences that informed characters. He gives advice to young writers—read, write (keep a journal), and never give up—and previews finishing “The Ghost Saw Red” after decades, with possible self-publishing. 00:00 Dedication Shoutout 00:11 Meet Bruce Coville 00:37 Jeremy Thatcher Love 01:40 Breakthrough Book 02:10 Sixth Grade Spark 02:42 Writing Failures Funny 04:39 Mrs Crandall Moment 05:12 Alien Teacher Origins 06:16 Memories And Doors 08:19 Arts Projects Matter 08:59 Failure Resume Reflection 10:37 Tech In Classrooms 12:02 Teaching Years Recap 12:38 Cherish The Oddballs 14:25 Oddballs In History 14:47 Being A Weird Kid 16:13 Movie Plans And Packaging 17:41 Alien Rumor Inspiration 18:42 Troublemaker Student Story 20:36 Turning One Book Into Series 21:50 Writing the Bad Kid POV 23:16 Empathy Through Story 25:28 Aliens Confront Real World 28:12 Advice for Young Writers 29:37 Journaling as Healing 32:09 Letters From Adult Readers 33:15 Finishing The Ghost Saw Red 38:03 Books vs Influencer Intimacy 40:24 Where to Follow Bruce 40:55 Final Thanks and Outro