Ways to Live Forever
Sam loves facts. He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl.
And because he has leukaemia he wants to know the facts about dying. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer.
My name is Sam. I am eleven years old. I collect stories and fantastic facts. By the time you read this, I will probably be dead.
True Facts About Ways to Live Forever
1.
I really did run up down escalators when I was writing this book. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for ages and I thought, if Sam can do it, so can I. I did it in the same place Sam does – at the Cornmill Centre in Darlington.
2.
The chapter Visits is based on something my mother did after I was diagnosed with diabetes as a child. It was supposed to be a funny scene – but it didn’t turn out that way when I wrote it.
3.
I deleted over 20,000 words while writing this book (the finished novel is around 32,000 words long). Some of the scenes I deleted include a list of famous last words, a description of how a dead body decomposes and a scene where Sam and Felix try and break their world record by dropping water bombs on Sam’s dad.
4.
There are a few real names and places in this book. Auntie Nicola, Auntie Sarah and Auntie Carolyn are named after friends of mine, as is Raoul, the airship pilot. Stanley Rhode (the airship captain) gets his name from Stanley Road, the street I lived on at university. My friends and I always meant to put Stanley Rhode into one of our essays but never did, so I put him in the book instead. High Strawberry – on Sam’s list of favourite things – is also a real place. We used to stay there when I was a child.
5.
The first words I wrote when I began this book were:
List No. 1 – Five Important Facts About Me
1. My name is David Oliver Robinson.
2. I am eleven years, two months and seven days old.
3. I have one sister. Her name is Katherine Anne Robinson and she is nine years old.
4. I have acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
5. By the time you read this, I will already be dead.
Reviews of Ways to Live Forever
“impressed by Sally Nicholls’ sensitive handling of terminal illness in Ways to Live Forever”
“Sympathetic, touching, and surprisingly funny…”
“Sally Nicholls has precisely captured the contents of an 11-year-old boy’s head in all its humorous, list-making splendour.”
October 28, 2010 @ 6:06 pm
Hi Sally!
I’m from ausrtria and I love your book ‘Ways to live forever’. It made me cry in the end and I’ve read it ’bout a dozen times without gettin bored. It’s a fantastic book. Thanks for givin ths to the world
Love from austria
Miriam
October 18, 2010 @ 9:22 pm
Hi I loved Ways to live forever. it made me cry at the end. It was a fantastic book. Thanks.
loves,
Sherry xxx
🙂
October 18, 2010 @ 4:47 pm
hello!
i am 13 yr old ananya from INDIA.i simply loved both your books too moving…..awesome only one word ‘WOW’
October 6, 2010 @ 7:01 pm
hey sally, i am 13 years old and to be honest i dont read alot. though, i picked up this book in my school library and when i started to read it i couldnt actually put it down! it was really gripping ad heart warming to read, i hope to read another one of your books soon!!! x
September 22, 2010 @ 6:11 pm
I love this book, my mum just got it for me and i already finished it in a hour, and it’s hard to find myself a book that i am drawn to.
September 15, 2010 @ 6:50 pm
I LOVE THIS BOOK! I HAVE READ IT SEVEN TIMES! WILL YOU PLEASE WRITE SOME MORE!?
September 6, 2010 @ 5:46 am
Hi^^
Just to say that reading Ways To Live Forever was a trully moving experience ^^
All My suport, and I’ll definetly buy you’r future books
Mandy N
September 5, 2010 @ 6:23 pm
I want this book badly. I did read the SeasonOfSecrets and its truely amazing.
September 3, 2010 @ 7:06 pm
Hello! I’m from Brazil and lie your book! I loved it! you are to be congratulated. But here in Brazil the name of the book is how to live forever. And the book cover is different, has trees and a boy on her. Still adorrei! kisses!
September 2, 2010 @ 5:28 pm
I Love your books!!! YOu are the best author, EVER !!!
everyone should read your books, they are so real.
Love M x