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A Brief Bio
Jessica Day George likes chocolate, knitting, books, travel, movies, dragons, horses, dogs, and her family. These are all things to keep in mind if you ever meet her. For instance, you could bring her chocolate to make the meeting go more smoothly. You could also talk about how adorable her children are, even if you have never seen them. You could discuss dog breeds (she has a Maltese named Pippin, and grew up with a poodle mix and a Brittany Spaniel). You could talk about Norway, and how it's the Greatest Place On Earth, and Germany, The Second Greatest Place On Earth. You could ask her about yarn, and indicate a willingness to learn to knit your own socks, if you can't already do so. And, well, you could talk about books. Jessica's books, other people's books. It's really all about the books. To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, Friends, family, school, they were just obstacles in the way of getting more books.
She would like it if books came with chocolate to eat while reading them.
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The Interview
I've never wanted to do a Cinderella story, since it's been retold so many times (and so well), but I fell in love with the idea of putting one of my twelve princesses from PRINCESS OF THE MIDNIGHT BALL into another situation where she would have to dance. And what would be worse than just having to dance when you hated dancing? How about dancing in glass slippers? Ouch! Add in a fairy godmother who is decidedly evil, a handsome prince, and not one but two dark-haired girls in masks and glass slippers, and we've got ourselves a very interesting dilemma!
I love the originality of your novels and how each character has an unexpected, unique trait. As you read the original stories and tales, do the character and plot twists come easily or do they take time to develop?
Usually the characters come to me first, and I think, HEY! Isn't that the soldier from Twelve Dancing Princesses? What's he doing stuck in my head? Or: I think I want to do a retelling of East o' the Sun, West o' the Moon, where's my copy of the original? First I find the character, and the story they want to be in, then I look to the original for more ideas.
PRINCESS OF GLASS is a companion to PRINCESS OF THE MIDNIGHT BALL and some of my favorite characters from the first novel make an appearance in the second. I’m still not ready to let these characters go! Are you considering writing the stories of the other sisters?
Don't worry! I can't let them go, either! Let me put it this way: the princesses were divided into three groups: the older set, the younger set, and the in-betweeners. I've done the older set, I've done one about an in-betweener, which leaves us with . . . *wink, wink*
Can you tell us anything about your next YA novel?
My next YA novel will be the first book in a series about a world similar to ours circa WWI, but with the twist that horses are considered unclean and it is forbidden to even speak of them. Naturally the king of my England-esque nation is having a cavalry force secretly trained . . .
My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?
Oh, I'm with you on the books! I grew up in a rural area of Idaho where being able to escape into a fantasy story of dragons and castles and magic was my Christmas and dessert all rolled into one! It's all about the books, baby!
Thank you, Jessica! Be sure to check out my reviews of PRINCESS OF GLASS and PRINCESS OF THE MIDNIGHT BALL!
