I felt like Alice falling down the rabbit hole.
It began with a lot of phone calls and some super-secret negotiations. Before I knew it, I was sitting on a plane, heading for Los Angeles to meet with a bunch of executives at a toy company. I was a nervous wreck. What had I gotten myself into? So many people were involved in this project. Shannon Hale was writing the prequels. Why did they want me? Had this all been some sort of mistake?
The woman seated next to me was busy reading a script, ignoring my fidgeting. I couldn’t focus on anything, my mind racing with self-doubt, so I glanced at her page. The watermark read: mattel.
“Um, excuse me,” I said quietly. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but do you work for Mattel?”
“Yes,” she said. “I’ve been in Seattle on vacation. But it’s time to get back.”
“This is a weird coincidence,” I told her, “but I have a meeting at Mattel later today.”
“Really?” She smiled. “Wait a minute. I know who you are. You’re Suzanne Selfors.”
And so it was that serendipity had seated me right next to someone who knew all about my project and the world of Ever After High. And thanks to her warmth and good humor, when we landed two and a half hours later, I felt at ease. And that’s how it’s been ever since. Mattel has welcomed me, and even though they are the creators of this amazing, magical world, they’ve given me the freedom to dance around in it. And it’s been a blast.
Thank you, Cathy Cline, for that plane ride. And to the creative team at Mattel—Cindy Ledermann, Lara Dalian, Julia Phelps, Christine Kim, Robert Rudman, Nicole Corse, Audu Paden, Venetia Davie, Ryan Ferguson, Charnita Belcher, and Sharon Woloszyk—much gratitude for all your help and support.
I’ve written many books with Little, Brown, but this time around, I got to work with a new enchanting editorial team. Thanks to Erin Stein, Mary-Kate Gaudet, and Rachel Poloski for helping this damsel de-stress.
Michael Bourret, you rule the kingdom!
Bob, you may not own a coat of armor, but I think you should be knighted. I became a writer because you gave me the gifts of time and love. Thank you.
And finally, Walker and Isabelle, you two are my Happily Ever Afters.