Revenge, prejudice, friendship and justice. Chosen family and magic. Lots of magic.
Author Estelle Laure explores these themes and more in her debut Disney novel, City of Villains. Set for release later this month, and as mentioned in our review, this book is the first in a three-part series, taking readers on a inward journey in the context of a mature crime-solving mystery with an excellent, large-scale twist.
We were excited to chat to Estelle all about modernizing Disney characters, awesome cover art and the importance of diverse representation. Check out the magic to come in City of Villains and beyond below.
Jess Salafia Ward: Estelle, thanks for chatting with us!
Estelle Laure: Thank you so much for having me and happy new year!
JSW: You are an editorial consultant, writing coach, and educator, and the author of critically-acclaimed books for young people. Was this always your career trajectory?
EL: Oh nooooo. I’ve been on a long and windy road. Waitress, video store manager (remember those?), barista. There was one point when I thought I’d be a stay-at-home mom forever and write in secret, hiding my true self away like a ferret person. I know Disney’s all about magic and I’m here to tell you it’s real, because when I decided I wanted to pursue writing for real the magic got really intense and things unfolded from there. That part of the story is longer and windier so I’ll leave it for another day, but suffice it to say it’s been an amazing and difficult ride and I’m so happy to be here.
JSW: We very much enjoyed City of Villains and look forward to more books in the series. How did this opportunity to write for Disney arise?
EL: What was it I said about magic? I told my agent I really wanted to work with Disney. I have adored Disney movies and shows my whole life and one day a few years ago it occurred to me that I might be able to make at least one dream come true for myself and work for them. Anyway, my agent had lunch with my editor-to-be a few weeks later (it all happens over lunch) and then I had the opportunity to send in a sample and it all went pretty quickly after that. My editor and I work very well together and I have loved every second of it.
JSW: Have you always been a Disney fan?
EL: Yes! I have a recording of myself at age two when I still had an amazing British accent saying I had dreamt of the blue fairy from Pinocchio. For as long as I can remember Disney characters have played a huge role in my imagination. While I would occasionally cast myself as a fairy godmother, I mostly went for the villains, so this has been a perfect fit.
JSW: For our readers who are not familiar with City of Villains, how would you describe the series?
EL: It is an urban fantasy series that takes place in the Scar, a neighborhood in Monarch which was once the hub for a thriving magical society. Now magic has been dead for a decade, vanished, poof, and the Scar has turned violent and bitter as it’s infiltrated by the Narrows, a group of rich kids from uptown Monarch. Mary Elizabeth Heart is a high school student by day and detective for the murder squad by night, who loves to hang out with her boyfriend James and her BFF Ursula. When Mally Saint, the coldest girl in the Scar disappears and she’s asked to look for her, Mary is propelled down a rabbit hole with her occasionally annoying partner Bella, and at the center of it all is an underground movement to find and harness a new and dangerous magic.
JSW: Some of Disney’s classic villains appear in City of Villains, however you showcase them in a whole new light. For example, they are all in high school, which makes them younger than we perceive them to be in the Disney films. How do you ensure that the characters are still recognizable to fans of the villains they know and love?
EL: Thank goodness for Disney fandom. First, I rewatched all the movies that feature those characters, then I spent hours pouring over fan input and the wiki pages, trying to pull whatever I could for Easter egg purposes. It was a blast but I also felt like I needed to do something new with the characters while also staying true to their personalities and even adapt their fashion sense to the characters you know and love to hate.
JSW: There have been lots of Disney Villains adaptations of late. We love that City of Villains is not only a villains origin story of sorts, but also a modern crime story. What do you think makes City of Villains unique?
EL: I think it is a crossover in terms of appeal, which is great. It will be fun to read if you’re a Disney fan, of course, but also if you like mysteries, graphic novels, magic, fantasy, true crime, procedurals, and I think it has appeal for adults who grew up with these characters as well as the younger audience that is looking for a new, edgier perspective on their favorites.
JSW: The book cover and story give me Batman/Gotham City vibes. Is this what you were going for or am I way off?
EL: I think when we originally pitched it the story was Gotham meets Disney, not because the Scar resembles Gotham. It really doesn’t since the Scar is a mash-up of Melrose in L.A. and the Village. I think marketing wanted to make it clear that this story would appeal to those who love a dark urban environment and a mystery. The cover also drops a hint about the characters you might find inside and that we’re blending classic Disney characters (the castle) with a modern city. I’m a huge fan of that cover art.
JSW: We are too! Disney continues to evolve and diversify its villains. Do you think it is important for these characters to adapt and be “modernized” in this way?
EL: It is VERY important for two reasons. One, if you think about it, some of these characters have been around for 80 years and could just be frozen in time and space as that one thing. That would be a shame because there is so much to be mined and it’s not every day that you have characters that almost everyone in a society relates to, knows about, and understands. Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are the only others I can think of and even then I don’t think it really compares. So why not look at them from every angle, give them adventures and let them grow as people with fully three-dimensional psyches. Second, we are getting less racist and more conscious of stereotypes. We are also progressing as people and Disney as a company is very aware of its responsibility in that arena. So every story is a new opportunity to move the dial in terms of diverse representation. I can’t think of anything more important than that.
JSW: Who is your favorite Disney Villain and why?
EL: It changes all the time. Maleficent is my first love. I had Sleeping Beauty on VHS early on and played it over and over. She horrified me and terrified me. In fact, those tall, regal, cold types still make me quiver. But you know, I love a good Ursula moment, too. She’s got the good songs.
JSW: We also love your original characters in the story. I think many readers will admire the drive, determination and work ethic of Mary Elizabeth. Tell us a bit about the brainstorming process behind characters like Mary Elizabeth. Was she inspired by anyone in particular?
EL: I’m afraid I can’t answer this question in full because SPOILERS. I can only say that for me Mary Elizabeth is the best of what can happen when there’s been trauma. Because we knew her family had been killed and that she is Legacy, meaning descended from magic, we knew she would have to be complex and a bit out of control at times, but very, very ambitious. I let that ambition and vulnerability drive her and I think it worked out.
JSW: The story is filled with important themes including revenge, prejudice, friendship and justice. Which themes were important to you such that you felt compelled to include them?
EL: Oh boy. All of the above. I think chosen family is so important, particularly if your family of origin is toxic or unsafe and that we can surround ourselves with people who see us for who we are, appreciate us, and support us unconditionally (and I love my family of origin so no ill intent there). Social justice is ALWAYS front and center for me. I’ve learned a lot and continue to learn and I make missteps, but in the end, the ways in which we categorize ourselves and each other has always seemed absurd to me. We are connected and equal, and society should reflect that. We can evolve and in my opinion we have to fight for that evolution. I don’t know how I could have told this story without being able to really examine those things thematically.
JSW: We mentioned earlier that you have authored a number of books. How are you feeling about sending City of Villains out into the world? How do these feelings differ from previous books you have published, if at all?
EL: Honestly, I’m so excited for the world to have this book. Disney has been enormously supportive and I feel confident that readers will tear through it and be excited for the next installment. I have written more internal and literary stories previously and I’m thrilled to have the chance to do something more intricate in terms of plot, where there’s a longer trajectory and so much fun. Plus magic. Magic magic magic!
JSW: How did your process for writing this book differ, if at all, from previous books and projects you have undertaken?
EL: To begin with, these are not my characters so the research was completely different. Instead of trying to create a person from scratch I was doing a pivot in the approach to preexisting characters. I spent A LONG LONG time figuring out the world, the Scar, how and when everything happened, as well as how magic functions in this world and the effects of the historical event. WAY different than, say, understanding the deepest feelings associated with a brutal break up. Also, it was much more collaborative when we got into the later stages and my editor was very involved. We had a blast brainstorming and sending each other feverish emails about how to adjust scenes. Also, I have never had to answer to brand management before.
JSW: What are some of the greatest challenges you faced in writing City of Villains?
EL: I think there is a massive quality to taking on a trilogy. The story arc has to be clear, the world has to be clear, the fantasy elements have to be clear, all from the outset. It is much more orderly than telling an internal story. Having written and rewritten other books from scratch multiple times, I have to say what started as a challenge has turned out to be a huge blessing for my overall process. I feel much more able to take on high concept material, deal with complex worlds, and keep everything organized. Big learning curve though. Big.
JSW: What do you find to be most rewarding about your work?
EL: It is always gratifying to touch base with the imagination. It is where I’ve always been most comfortable. I’m not really an outdoorsy person though I love nature. I like to go all the way inside. I always have. That is the great gift of being a writer. And then to meet readers in their imaginations and to get to talk about it with them? That’s the absolute best. But for this story, it’s the collaboration I’ve loved the most, and getting to make my own dream come true.
JSW: What do you ultimately hope readers get out of City of Villains?
EL: Hope. Magic. Friendship. I hope when readers are done they feel like they’ve gone on an adventure, experienced some wonder, feel like they’ve made some new, powerful friends, and feel like if they fight for what they believe in and never give up, they will get to the truth. That would make me feel like I had done my job. We need a little light right now, you know?