Dear Ella W,

The short answer is, I don't know, not just because I wrote ELLA so long ago--mostly because the curse was tricky. I avoided commands that were puzzling in exactly the way you say. If she were given a physically impossible command, I don't think she'd have to die trying to obey it.

I'm very glad you've enjoyed my books and have stayed with them!

Gail

Dear Ms. Levine,

I am a longtime lover of your books. My copy of Ella Enchanted was given to me for my eighth birthday years ago and is so well-read that the cover is now held to the book by several layers of tape. Although the heroine's name matching my own is certainly part of the charm, what really captivated me was your world-building. I love the fairies, the languages, and your magic system.

I've had a question for several years now about Ella's curse. At the beginning of the book, as a baby, she is told to stop crying, and she obeys. She seems too little to understand speech yet, so does her obedience happen regardless of her understanding the words? That is to say, if someone spoke to her in a language she didn't understand (an unlikely scenario, I suppose, given she's such a polyglot) or used a word she didn't know, would she still have to obey them?

--An Ella on her 14th reread of Ella Enchanted

Destinee--I love your approach, but I can't license a new screenplay because Miramax has that right (which I agreed to as part of the original agreement). You can write it, of course, for your own pleasure or as a writing exercise, but it can't move forward unless Miramax gives the okay. After that, I would have to approve it too.
I'm delighted that ELLA has meant so much to you.

I'm curled up in blankets at 1 in the morning, with the bold idea that I wanted to reach out to my favorite author and tell her I would love to write a screenplay for her. I know there is already a movie- and I am not actually a professional screenwriter (yet)- but I just finished college and my head is full of dreams and ambitions haha. I always felt like the movie didn't truly capture everything I loved about the book! I have a theory. I think the curse of obedience Ella experienced really resonates with people pleasers. Whenever faced with conflict, I find myself giving in, rushing to obey the will of others, almost out of instinct. It has lead me to losing friends, the failing of my marriage, and feeling paralyzed in many other areas. Ella broke her curse in this beautifully selfless moment when she said no to the prince- her curse wracked her body the same way anxiety does for me when I don't want to hold boundaries or hold people accountable... it felt so right that she overcame her anxiety through an act of complete selfless love. I think trying to capture that underlying theme visually could be quite a challenge- but I want to try! And I would love to send it to you when I do. Ella Enchanted is the only book I've never grown tired of- I've returned to it over and over. Thank you for overcoming those 9 years of rejection letters so we can have your stories.

Hi Ms Levine!

My friends and I do a book club where we re-read books that were beloved and influential to us as kids. I came across this page while we were meeting to chat about Ella Enchanted and wanted to share with you that we all loved re-reading it. I was deeply charmed by the relationship between Ella and Char and even as a 30yr old found myself enchanted (ha) by the writing :) This was one of my favorite books as a kid and I reread it many times. I loved revisiting it and found that it was very enjoyable to read as an adult too. It seems like a book that I could tell a lot of love was poured into while writing and there were so many fun details that delighted me, such as the elves teeth being green or the way the sculptures were described in such loving detail. Returning to those pages felt like going back to a childhood room and experiencing the comfort and safety it held. Thank you for all the past and present warm memories!