Maleficent is one of the top villians of villadom…and she personally scares me!
Will there be anything about the Kingdom Keepers after book 7?
I am working on a follow up series after Kingdom Keepers is done. Stay tuned to the website for the latest information.
How did you come up with the Kingdom Keepers series?
I was fortunate to be asked by Disney to create an adventure book that takes place in the Disney parks.
The idea came to me when I came out of the Magic Kingdom with my family and I looked back to realize all the guests were leaving but the characters were staying behind. I had a “Toy Story” moment. When the door to Andy’s room closes, the toys all come alive. It occurred to me that when we all leave the parks, and the characters have not, that there’s stuff going on in there that we don’t know about. What I envisioned was a battle for control of the parks between Disney’s “wonderful” villains and his princesses, princes, heroes and characters. It was into that world I threw myself as a writer and out came the Kingdom Keepers.
How do you get all the info for the Kingdom Keepers books?
I am very lucky in that Disney gives me private tours when the parks are closed. I get to walk the attractions and go on the rides when no one is around. It’s special!
What is the Kingdom Keepers Quest and can I participate?
The Kingdom Keepers Quest takes place in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and is for school groups of ten or more kids. School groups apply through Disney’ s Youth Educational Services (YES). Groups get a special price to enter the Magic Kingdom and the teacher facilitates the Quest.
I am working on a second YES program for the Animal Kingdom.
A Quest for ANYONE to take can be found in the Birnbaum Guide books. You can purchase the books in the parks or online.
Is there going to be a Kingdom Keepers movie?
Disney currently has no plans to make any Kingdom Keepers movies. I would love to have the Kingdom Keepers become a movie! Unfortunately it is not up to me.
Can I film a Kingdom Keepers movie?
Ridley doesn’t own the rights to The Kingdom Keepers, Disney does, so he cannot give permission one way or another.
Do you have to enter a different mind-set to write different stories or different characters?
Within every novel you enter so many mind-sets. You have to be the beautiful woman, the psycho criminal, the judge, the jury. That’s the role of an author: to play everyone. if you don’t play them convincingly, your characters are cardboard.
Do you know how a book/series is going to end when you begin it?
I always have a beginning, middle and end in mind when starting a novel. Sometimes I have a 50 page outline. Sometimes only a collection of thoughts on character or plot. But the big mistake first time writers make is filling up the car, getting behind the wheel and starting off driving without knowing a destination. A quick formula for running out of gas.
How can I get Disney to approve my ideas/writing?
I am lucky to have been asked to write for Disney and love working with them. That said, writing ideas are not copyrighted, but stories can be. Disney owns the copyrights to The Kingdom Keepers stories and also owns the trademarks on the Disney characters, but anything can be written when done in fun. I suggest you keep writing and not worry about getting published.