And here is our chat:
Who is your favorite Disney Princess?
Belle! Like her, I am (unsurprisingly) a big fan of reading. I love a heroine with her head buried in a book.
Mine too!
If you could trade places with any Disney Princess, who would it be? I guess Cinderella, because the worst thing she has to face is a wicked stepmother (depending on the version you read). I’m also not opposed to having a fairy godmother grant a wish or two. But honestly, I think trading places with a fairytale villain would be way more fun (sea witch, I’m looking at you).
Oh, interesting!
Is there a childhood toy you would like to come to life? That’s such a good question! I’m a child of the 90s, so definitely a Beanie Baby. I hoarded them like a dragon with treasure.
Is there magic spell you would send out into the world?
Another great question! Selfishly, something that would let me understand what my cats are saying. For the global good, a spell that would help us feel a little more fearless. Fear is so often the deep root of division and conflict. It keeps us from believing we're capable of pursuing our dreams. I'd like to see what happens in a world where we believe in ourselves, and each other, more.
I like both of those. I would love to know what my dogs are thinking!
How did you come up with the idea on which Princesses to swap? I worked with my brilliant editor, examining common (or very different) threads between stories — and also thinking about what would make the most interesting swap. Cinderella and Belle are each trapped in their own way, and I was excited about exploring how they tap into their inner strength, cleverness, and kindness in very unexpected situations. Snow White and Sleeping Beauty were a good challenge because their origin stories are so similar. That book really grew from playing with the small details that we know and love from the stories, so expect plenty of dragons, magical rosebushes, and power-hungry witches. And for the third book, with Rapunzel and the Little Mermaid, it seemed fun to swap a princess who’s highest in the air with the princess at the deepest part of the sea. Of course, they’re both also discovering their independence and dreaming of a world beyond what they’ve known.
I'm so happy to learn the pairing of the third book! This story idea is so clever because all the princesses have similar moments but yet they are so different and with different personalities.
Thanks for chatting with me today, Kim!
