Heroines Overcome their Demons

I’m usually a happy-ending writer, and I’ll probably go on being one. My worlds have troubles and villains, but I control the balance, so that my heroine stands a chance of overcoming her demons. However, the danger for me is that as our real world becomes more grim, my imagined worlds and my happy endings may no longer feel honest.

Since the terrorist attacks, I find myself thinking about things I’d like to put into a story, such as the terrible effects of religion and nationalism on human history. I’m hoping to take them on, delicately avoiding didacticism.

Gail Carson Levine lives in New York’s Hudson Valley and is the author of Ella Enchanted, Dave at Night and many other books.