Meeting The Author That Introduced Me To Fantasy

Friday night, Ben took me on a wonderful date to the beautiful Provo Library.  We have gone on many dates there but this one was extra special.  One of my favorite childhood (and current) authors, Gail Carson Levine, was there as a key note speaker for the Provo Library Children's Book Festival.  She was a wonderful speaker and it was so interesting to hear about her childhood and family growing up as well as how she came to be an author.

Ms. Levine is most well known for her book Ella Enchanted.  This was the first fantasy book that I can remember reading (I was more of a historical fiction kind of girl) and it was the first book I read by her; I was hooked.  I loved it so much that I read every other book I could get my hands on at that time.  Other favorites of mine were The Two Princesses of Bamarre, The Wish, and her Princess Tales Series where she wrote the "real story" of famous fairy tales.  It wasn't until just recently I started reading more of her books.  She has come out with several since my elementary and junior high days.  Currently I am reading Fairest and I am loving it.  On my list to read next are Ever, A Tale of Two Castles, and I want to re-read Dave at Night (I know read it when I was younger but I cannot for the life of me remember it).

One of my favorite parts of the night was when someone asked her what she thought about the Ella Enchanted movie.  If you've read the book and seen the movie you know that they are very, very different.  Most people who loved the book hated the movie, and a lot of those people (one person I know in particular) were very opinionated about how much they disliked the movie.  I, in fact, loved the movie and it was so nice to hear that Gail Carson Levine likes the movie too :) She does not hate it and she likes that the movie brings another generation of children to her book and onto her other novels.

I had such a great time with Ben (he really enjoyed it too :) and I am so glad he took me on this wonderful date.

            Gail Carson Levine                  My signed copy of             Me with Gail Carson Levine

Ella Enchanted