How a non-disclosure agreement and codename changed my year
Once upon a time I, Shannon Hale, your faithful narrator, was free. I'd just turned in the final draft of Dangerous,and for the first time in ten years I didn't have a book undercontract. With four small children at home, I'd decided not to go undercontract for any new books for the time being. "Maybe I'll take a breakfor a bit," I told my husband. "Until things calm down."
Famous last words.
Three days later, I got a call. Little, Brown (fabulous book publisher) had an offerfor me. Hm, I really didn't think I'd be interested, because of taking a break and all, but I was curious."They won't tell me what it is," my agent told me. "First we have tosign a non-disclosure agreement." Wow, now I was really curious. Isigned the document and got on a call with Andrew, Connie, and Erin atLittle, Brown.
They told me about a project codename "Lightning." Yes, it was so supersecret it even had a code name! And so I first heard about Ever AfterHigh, a boarding school for the children of famous fairy tales. For afew moments, I decided wasn't interested. I'm known forretelling fairy tales, and I love fairy tales, but I didn't think I'dwant to write in someone else's fairy tale land. I'd rather do my ownstories.
But this was more than just retold fairy tales. The idea is thatchildren of fairy tale characters grow up to relive the stories theirparents made famous. Our main characters are Raven Queen, daughter ofthe Evil Queen, and Apple White, daughter of Snow White. And they'reroommates. That struck me as so delightfully awkward. We talked more.They sent me a 200 page story bible detailing a couple dozen charactersand world details. It was all so fun. But I couldn't make myself commit.I was free! I was going to take a break!
Mattel flew me out to their headquarters in California. I got to see theworkshops where designers created new Barbie dolls and superhero actionfiguresand Matchbox cars. I got a sneak peak of the first eight Ever After Highdolls (kept in windowless rooms under shrouds--so secret!). I saw thefirst animated short and heard more good stuff aboutthe world. I saw their absolute commitment to story and how excited theywere to have a novel to kick off the storytelling of this huge newproperty. And I couldn't resist. In fact, even though I'd been tellingmyself I might not do it, I'd already written 15 pages of the novelbecause scenes between these characters just flew into my brain.
So I slapped the conference table and said, "That's it. I'm in."
Then the whirlwind began. I read everything Mattel had already writtenin this world--scripts for upcoming animated shorts and stories thatwould come included with each doll--over and over again and educated myself on the world andcharacters. I couldn't contradict anything already established, butbesides that, they gave me free reign to make up my own story. And sinceI was coming in at the beginning, I helped create thisworld and form the characters. The Mattel creative team was wonderfuland totally open to my input. The few times I found established elements Ithought world work better a different way, they changed them. It wascollaborative, supportive, and a lot of fun.
I wrote a mini-outline. I got notes from my editors and wrote a robustoutline. I got notes from my editors and the Mattel team. I wrote afirst draft. I got more notes and revised several times. And then we hada book. A book I'm really proud of.
It was so fun, we decided to do it again. And again. I've signed up towrite books 2 & 3 in Ever After. Because of other time commitments,my husband Dean Hale is helping me write books 2 & 3, even morecollaboration and support and fun.
I'm not sure when I'm going to take that theoretical break. But I'm glad I didn't. Yet.
Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends is in bookstores today. Come see me on tour!