Hi there!!!

Lifelong fan here. Growing up, The Two Princesses of Bamarre was unquestionably one of my favorite books. It always gave me that feel that I could do anything I set my mind to. It remains a fond favorite and reminds me of my own relationship with my sister, and I treasure that more than anything. My girlfriend and her sister have a dynamic very similar to the two princesses as well, I plan on giving each a copy for Christmas as a reminder that family and a sister’s love is more valuable than ever these days. Would it be possible for me to mail you a few copies of the book to be autographed for them?

Best wishes always,
Ashley S

Hi Ms. Levine,
I first read Ella Enchanted when I was in elementary school, and it's held a special place in my heart ever since. So when my teacher asked us to send interview questions to our favorite fantasy author, you were the first person who came to mind. If you have the time and energy, I would really appreciate it if you could answer some questions.
1. What planning do you do to build your fantasy worlds when beginning to write a new book/series?
2. How long did it take you to write the final version of Ella Enchanted?
3. What was your dream job when you went into college??
4. Where did you get the idea for the premise of Ella Enchanted?
5. Comparing your first published work(Ella Enchanted) to your latest work(Sparrows in the Wind), how do you feel your style has changed over the years?
6. What is your favorite mythical creature/species you’ve ever written?
7. Is there a specific impact that you hope your writing has on readers?
8. Do you think you’ll ever move away from writing fantasy? If so, what genre would you move to?
9. What types of books do you enjoy reading?
10. What advice would you give to aspiring authors and poets?
If you don't have the time, please don't worry! Even your consideration means a lot to me. My love of Ella Enchanted has helped me to follow my own writing interests, and I'm actually in the process of becoming a published poet! My poem will be published in a compilation book titled Gifted, from The America Library of Poetry, it comes out this month and I could not be more thrilled. Thank you for all that you do, and all the inspiration you have spread.
Sincerely,
Audra(They/Them)

Dear Gail Carson Levine,
I am the middle grade fantasy author of the Enchantria series. I'd just really like to thank you. You inspired my love of reading. I first read Ella Enchanted when I was around nine, and it has remained my favorite book ever since! I was around ten when I decided to write a book during my extremely boring summer vacation, and that book turned into a fully fledged middle-grade fantasy series. I'd just like to thank you so much. Without your book, Writing Magic, I don't think I ever would've gotten through the series. Writing Magic was the book that actually inspired me to become a writer and create stories and worlds like you do. I don't know if you'll really read this, and I know you probably won't reply, but I'd just like to say that without you, I probably wouldn't be the writer I am today. All your writing prompts, tips, and your own experiences really introduced me to the writing life, and I just really realized that that was exactly what I wanted to do. And today, I'm the author of a whole book series (the rest will be published soon), a thousand story ideas, and someone who really writes to inspire others just like your books and characters inspired me. So thank you so much.
Wendy/Isabelle Knight (my pen name).

Hello! I first read Ella Enchanted when I was in 6th grade. I reread it many, many times. I had never engaged in the fantasy genre before and rarely have since - I get bored easily of the lengthy explanations and descriptions. I also read many others in the next several years and eventually introduced them to my children. We moved to Germany (from the U.S.) this summer and have been listening to audiobooks during our drives to new adventures. Listening to Ogre Enchanted on our way to Cologne was so much fun! Even my son, who was determined to dislike the “girly book” got completely hooked with the violence and laughed every time “dragon pee” was mentioned.

Ella Enchanted will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s immersive and engaging, with each of the characters so well developed and interesting. I read my copy over and over. Thank you for writing it.

Dear Ella W,

The short answer is, I don't know, not just because I wrote ELLA so long ago--mostly because the curse was tricky. I avoided commands that were puzzling in exactly the way you say. If she were given a physically impossible command, I don't think she'd have to die trying to obey it.

I'm very glad you've enjoyed my books and have stayed with them!

Gail