Ella and Henry

1. Why are Tom and Ella such good friends?  They seem to have nothing in common.

Actually, Tom and Ella have quite a bit in common.  They are both very lonely and don’t really fit into their respective worlds.  They have both lost people that were once close to them; Tom is a childless widower and Ella never knew her parents.  What ultimately brings them together is the realization that they both are really just looking for a friend.

2. Is Ella psychic? Or was her dream just a funny coincidence?

Unexplainable phenomena is a very important aspect of the story.  If you think about it, the fact that Ella, Tom, and Henry even met in the first place is almost impossible.  They had to be in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.  Call it fate, call it chance, call it serendipity.  Disney calls it the ‘plausible impossible.’  The story is full of things you can’t explain.  Ella’s dream was no different.

3. Is Tom gay?

No, Tom is not gay, or a pedophile.  He just has trouble connecting with those around him; women because of what happened to Madeline, and men because none of them have gone through the same things he has.  Ella is basically the first person Tom was really able to connect with.  If anyone has a problem with that, see me.

4. Why is Henry such a goody-goody?  It’s sickening.

You have to remember that the story is told from Ella’s perspective.  To her, Henry is a dream come true.  She has never met anyone like him before, so it is only natural for her to, to coin a phrase, place him upon a pedestal.  Also, Henry is the Prince, which means he was trained from Day One.  He is well-versed in all the things a Prince is supposed to be.  I guess you could say he is a real-life prince charming.

5. All right.  I know that in the end, the girl gets the Prince.  But do you consider this to be a cut-and-dried fairy tale?

I can’t stand all those old-time fairy tales, where the prince has to rescue the damsel in distress, while all she has to do is stand there and look good.  There aren’t many good stores out there these days with a heroine instead of a hero.  I thought I would make the damsel rescue the Prince, just to spice things up a bit.  That way, when Ella realizes she’s won Henry’s heart, it makes the victory that much sweeter, because she’s had to work hard to get where she is.  No one in their right mind can say that she isn’t deserving.

6. Why is Ella so angry at the world in the beginning?  Most of all, why does she refuse to admit that she loves anyone until the very end?

Ella was plagued by what would probably be referred to in today’s psychological community as abandonment issues and low self-esteem.  She is so completely afraid of being ‘left behind’ again that she finds it difficult to develop any kind of relationship, platonic or otherwise.  In the end, Tom and Henry help, in their own unique ways, to show Ella that she is worthwhile, and, perhaps more importantly, that she is not alone.

7. In the grand scheme of the story, what makes the third book important? 

I think the third book is important in revealing the dynamics and chemistry between the characters.  When telling a story in the first person, you will always end up with a slightly biased depiction of the other characters.  For instance, in the first two books of The Pirate Chronicles, you can’t help but think of the other characters in terms of Ella (i.e., Henry is Ella’s best friend, Tom is her ‘father’ figure, etc).  The third book separates the characters from each other by letting them (the characters) stand alone, so readers can understand them a little bit more as individuals.

8. Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?

I draw my inspiration from all around me.  People that I’ve met, places that I’ve been, and of course, other stories.  Reading is probably the most important thing an author can do, second only to writing.  But specifically, as far as inspiration goes, my ‘adopted sisters’, Hannah and Megan, were my inspiration for the character Ella.  They are roughly the same ages as she is in the stories, so sometimes I take things they say or do and use them for Ella’s character.  Drew, my best friend during my early teenage years, is where I got the character Henry.  Not only do they look just alike, their personalities are similar.  I couldn’t have done it without Hannah, Megan, and Drew.

9. What are your final words to readers everywhere?

Don’t let anyone stand in the way of your dreams.  This goes for girls and guys.  If you want something, go for it, because there might not be a second chance.  If someone tells you that you aren’t capable of doing something, prove them wrong.  This especially goes for all the young authors out there.  Van Gogh once said, “If a voice tells you that you are not a painter, then by all means, paint, and that voice will be silenced.”  And I heartily agree.

10.   One last question:  do you believe in true love?

Of course I do!  It’s what keeps us going; what makes each day worth getting up for!   And I guarantee, there is not a person out there who has not, at some point in their lives, been loved, been in love, or searched for love.  And if, by chance, a person is able to find that one true love, the person they’re meant to be with forever, then I beg of you, cherish it.  That’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, once in a thousand lifetimes, maybe.  So love, love with everything you have.  I’m telling you, it’s worth it.  Just ask Ella.