https://youtu.be/Vku0J6glAsg

NOTE: Check out the Audiobook version of this chapter recorded by kaelking12 by clicking the Youtube  video above. She did over 8 voices for this chapter so it's definitely worth checking out if you have the time! Featuring music by Tegan and Sara, Ok Go,  Andrew Belle, and Colbie Caillat. 

Alex

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UCLA Creative Writing 191 Discussion Forum

Post title: "Welcome to Creative Writing 191- A Note from the Author."

Posted by: E. King

Body:

Hey guys,

Elias here. Professor Hayes was nice enough to let me write the intro to the discussion forum for our class, so here it is. I'm really looking forward to reading your thoughts on "Letters to Jersey" and will do my best to make sure I get back to your posts as soon as I can. You can be as honest and open as you want. There's no need for you to hold back if you feel strongly about the book either in a positive or negative way (as long as your honest, I'll appreciate it).

If you're confused about something in the book, let me know. I'm happy to answer any questions as long as they're within reason.

For example:

"What inspired you to write a book of letters?"  (Totally legit question, and completely in reason.)

"Who is Jersey?" (Not okay.)

On that note, please understand that this book means a lot to me because it came out of one of the hardest years of my life. So, as far as personal questions go, I'd like to ask that those stay off the forum and out of the classroom all together.

I'm a big believer in keeping my private life off the table, so please respect that.

Anyway,  as far as rules go, aside from the one I just talked about, please make sure you post on time, otherwise I might not get to answer you--which kinda defeats the purpose of this thing.

If you need anything else or have any questions, shoot an email over to Professor Hayes, and she'll pass it on over to me.

-E. King

***

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UCLA Creative Writing 191 Discussion Forum

Post title: "Letters to Jersey Chapters 1-3"

Posted yesterday at 3:22 PM

Posted by Gabi M.

Body:

I've read a lot of books. And I know that probably sounds completely cliche coming from a Creative Writing major, but bare with me.

These days, almost every book on the shelves are totally unoriginal carbon copies of one another.

Similar plots. Wannabe witty voicing. Identical covers. You get the picture.  But every now and again, if you're lucky and patient, you'll find a book like "Letters to Jersey."

Actually, that's a lie.

You could read just about every modern teen romance on the shelves, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't find a book like "Letters to Jersey."

The first three chapters alone are just pure genius for so many reasons. King talks about heartache and heartbreak which I feel like we all can relate to, and that's what makes the start so amazing.

This book has so many lines I've put on Instagram I'm pretty sure most of my followers have gone out and bought the book because of me. #Promoter. Follow Me: @FabGab

But honestly, good books totally deserve to be shared, and if this is how awesome King's work is on the first three chapters, it's no wonder it's at the top of the sales charts.

But not just anybody can write a hit.

Some people try their whole lives and never find any success. But King's experience is different because he's actually been through a lot of hardship. I'm actually curious to find out more about what difficult moments really inspired his work.

So, I'll end this post with a question for Mr. King.

To @EKing:

Hope this isn't getting too personal, but I read somewhere that you were involved in a pretty serious car accident in San Diego two years ago. Did any part of that experience influence "Letters to Jersey"? Will we be hearing more about that in future chapters?

***

4 Replies to "G. McCarthy's" Post:

Comment from "Ross J." posted yesterday at 3:42 PM

"Great, response babe. I had the same question myself. I definitely remembered reading something about that in the local news back in SD. It'll be cool hearing more about that situation from the source."

Comment from "Sadie H."  posted yesterday at 3:51 PM

"Loved the post, Gabs! Me and Kyle heard about that accident back when we went to school like a couple miles away from Mission Bay. Super sad. But look where Elias is today. What a turn around."

Comment from "E. King"  posted today at 11:00 AM

"Hey, Gabi. Sorry to be the rule guy here but, that question's a little too personal. All I have to say about that situation is that I regret it everyday. I made a lot of bad decisions back then, and heck I'm still making 'em now, but that was one of the worst. So, I'd really appreciate it if we could keep all talk regarding what happened two years ago off the forum @GabiM @RossJ @SadieH. Thanks. -E. King."

Gabi M. Replied to E. King today at 11:07 AM

Sure thing, Mr. King! I apologize for the question. Won't happen again. I just want you to know that I totally respect you, and your private life, and your work. Thanks for responding to me at all!

***

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Post title: "Love, Loss, and Lamentation - Ingredients for a Best Seller"

Posted yesterday at 4:40 PM

Posted by A. Berkowitz

Body:

As an aspiring best-selling author, there's a lot to be learned from Elias King's Letters to Jersey. While most of the masses would state that the appeal of this book lies in the  unresolved love story, I walked away from the first three chapters with a different, more elevated perspective. Personally, I think this book is genius because of how well it caters to the public.

Whether or not this "Jersey" figure King refers to is a real person or not is irrelevant to the book's success. Everybody loves a good love story, and for all we know Jersey is a series of different people. Or maybe a fictional representation of the "lost love" archetype in King's overall narrative.

I even had the opportunity to ask Mr. King about the identity of this "Jersey" to which he refused to fully answer. So to me, that speaks volumes. I think that what we are really witnessing here is not a simple autobiographical account of a real life love story, but a brilliantly written fictional account.

This is a modern fairytale sold as non-fiction, and just like in the movies where directors take creative liceneses by basing fictional movies on "true stories", Elias King's technique is no different.

This is truly the mark of a great author. One who can fool the world into believing that an imagined story is true. Besides, I find it hard to believe that an author this accomplished, this young, and this attractive, would have his attention focused on a single girl.

We live in an age of variety, quick relationships, and quicker fall outs. King's book reminds us of an old fashioned love, but fails to prove that it still actually exists.

Obviously, there's more of the book to be read, but I plan on standing by my theory unless I'm proven wrong.

-Annie Berkowitz

***

3 Replies to "A. Berkowitz's" Post:

Comment from "Will P." posted yesterday at 4:45 PM

"Super insightful, Annie. Loved your theory. Definitely never thought about it as being a faux-autobiography, but that's a brilliant point. Whatever this book is, it's great writing regardless."

Comment from "A. Berkowitz"  posted yesterday at 4:49 PM

"Thanks so much for the feedback, Will. I like to approach books with a skeptical eye, so I think my perspective added a new dimension to the conversation.

Comment from "E. King"  posted today at 11:00 AM

"I definitely can see where you're coming from, Annie, but Jersey is a very real person. No part of this book is fictional. I didn't write it for the public, I didn't write it to make it on a best-seller list, I wrote it for her. Quote me. -E. King."

***

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UCLA Creative Writing 191 Discussion Forum

Post title: "Love- A Cosmic Truth"

Posted by yesterday at 5:53 PM

Posted by Indigo R.

Body:

There's an ancient Tibetan proverb that says:

"Once you've discovered the secret of the universe, you will have discovered the secret of all things."

And, in true alignment with these enlightened words, "Letters to Jersey", holds that very secret.

A cosmic truth that binds the fiber of humanity together into a single string.

An intergalactic link with many names, the most common being love.

This book is a spiritual journey into a lost soul. One tied to another through tragedy, triumph, and pain.

As the Buddhists say, there is not life without suffering, and suffering surrounds this story.

Two people.

Two flames.

Are.

Ignited.

Separated.

Suffocated.

But then reborn through endless suffering.

Elias King isn't simply an author, he is a tormented soul, seeking his other half.

A single voice shouting into the cosmic void, hoping she'll hear his spirit calling her home.

This--

--is the struggle of the great divide.

The darkness of parting ways.

The destruction within separation.

These chapters paint a painful picture of the cosmic damage two spirits endured. 

But it's that very endurance that brought Buddha to Nirvana.

That lifted Gandhi out of the hands of his oppressors.

That allows love to continue to survive.

And the lifeblood of that survival--is rebellion.

The fight against loss, against separation, and against all cosmic odds.

These paper poems are battles lost and won on an ink-stained page.

There are mentions of numerous personal struggles, lapses in perseverance, repetitive failures--

--and, nearly unforgivable mistakes.

But these letters push beyond those pitfalls, just for the chance to rekindle an old, but eternal flame with the she-spirit he loves.

But this is just a single theory.

An opinion lost in a spiritual sea of many.

I can't speak for the author or the person he wrote this book for, but I've endured similar hardships.

Similar separations.

I know what is to exist without the person who amplifies your existence. To wake up everyday questioning a love you used to be sure of. And I know how much suffering happens when you let go of the one person you shouldn't.

Second chance romances never usually have happy endings. But I've seen one first hand, and this is the start of it.

Every beautiful reunion starts with a genuine apology.

And these letters fill in the spaces most people leave empty.

Resolves conflicts and questions left unanswered.

And that alone is a solution in itself.

Sometimes a simple reply is enough to save a person.

It was enough to save me.

So even though I'm rarely a fan of socially-elevated best-sellers, or smash hit books, the first few chapters of this novel rattled me because of its cosmic and emotional truth.

And that my friends, is true art, depicting true love.

-Indigo R.

***

2 Replies to "Indigo R.'s" Post:

Comment from "Prof. Hayes." posted yesterday at 6:17 PM

"Just wonderful, Ms. Rose. I appreciate such an eccentric perspective on Mr. King's writing. Looking forward to your essay on Monday!"

Comment from "E. King"  posted today at 11:22 AM

"Nail on the head, Indigo. I didn't think I'd find anyone on here who'd understand me or where I was coming from as well as you do. Trippy, a little bit out there, but definitely on point. Great work ;)."

***

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Posted by Kyle X.

Posted yesterday at 5:50 PM

Post title: "Reading Response (Chapters 1-3)"

Body:

This user has set their post as private. Only viewable by @admin and @Prof.Hayes.

UCLA Creative Writing 191 Discussion Forum

Posted by Sadie H.

Posted yesterday at 5:55 PM

Post title: "Letters to Jersey - The New Age of American Romance"

Body:

This user has set their post as private. Only viewable by @admin and @Prof.Hayes.

UCLA Creative Writing 191 Discussion Forum

Posted by Will P.

Posted yesterday at 5:57 PM

Post title: "My Thoughts"

Body:

Overall, the first three chapters were pretty intense. I can't say I've been through anything like that, but King's definitely writing out a real place, and I respect that. Not too many guys are able to open up about losing the girl that matters to 'em. Granted, I've never been through what King's been through, but I've never really been lucky in love. I guess I'm still looking for a "Jersey" to write about. Hopefully, I'll find her at UCLA. Anyway, this was an awesome start to a book. Sorry if my response isn't exactly as poetic as everybody else's but, like I said, my parents forced me into this major, so I've got a lot of work to do. If there's a bright side to this whole Creative Writing class thing, it's definitely this book. I'm glad that at the minimum, I'm starting out reading something I actually like. And that means a lot coming from a Boston boy who grew up hating books. Thanks for the book, Mr. King. Mad respect.

-Will P.

1 Reply to "Will P.'s" Post:

Comment from "Prof. Hayes." posted yesterday at 6:26 PM

"Good effort, Will! I appreciate you throwing yourself into the discussion forum head first! There are no rules here in terms of how you want to express yourselves, so thank you for your honesty! Only bit of advice would be to expand on your ideas next time! Have a great weekend!"

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To: [email protected]

From:  [email protected]

Subject: Discussion Forum Post

Body: Hello again Professor Hayes,

I've finished writing my post for the discussion forum, but I noticed that some users were able to make their posts private. Is it true that if they're set to private, only you and the site admin can read them?

I'm only asking because I'd prefer if my first post was only shared between you and me since it's kind of personal.

One last question:

How many discussion posts are we allowed to set to private during this semester?

-Alex

***

1 New Email

To:  [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: RE: Discussion Forum Post

Body: 

Hello Ms. Summers.

Yes, if you choose to set a post to private only I can read them (and the technical guys at UCLA of course, but I'm sure they'd be bored by our discussions). However, you're only entitled to 2 private posts per semester.

To set a post to private click the "Set to Private" button in the forums and post away!

Can't wait to read it.

Prof. Hayes

UCLA English Department

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***

(Thank you guys so much for reading & waiting so long for this update! Me and @kaelking12 were in London last weekend for WattCon and this week was crazy but we managed to get recording and writing in for you! Part 2 should be up tomorrow! Don't worry, we won't leave you on a cliffhanger for too long ;). What do you think Alex posted? Theories welcome.)