Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Alex London (The Princess Protection Program)!
Meet the Author: Alex London
Alex London is the acclaimed author of more than thirty books for children and teens. His middle grade novels include The Princess Protection Program, Search & Rescue, Dog Tags, and two titles in the 39 Clues series. For young adults, he’s the author of the cyberpunk duology Proxy and the epic fantasy series Black Wings Beating, which were both named to numerous best-of-the-year lists. He has been a journalist and human-rights researcher reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, a young adult librarian with the New York Public Library, and a snorkel salesman. He lives with his husband, daughter, and hound dog in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
About the Book: The Princess Protection Program
Where can a princess hide if her Ever After isn’t all that Happy? Bestselling author Alex London turns classic fairy tales on their heads in this fast-paced, funny fantasy about embracing change and taking control of your own story. For fans of The School for Good and Evil and the Never Afters series.
Every fairy tale ends with its characters living happily ever after, right? A valiant prince quests long and hard to reach the castle where the sleeping princess lies. And with a kiss, he will awaken her.
But what if the princess does NOT think a kiss from a stranger is a very pleasant way to wake up? Yuck!
When Rosamund flees her prince, a Door of Opportunity opens, and she steps through to the Home Educational Academy (the HEA for short). Rosamund has found the Princess Protection Program, where fugitive fairy tale princesses escape unwanted affections, untimely ends, and all the other perils of their stories.
But as Rosamund adjusts to life in the real world and makes her first real friends (Rana, who left her story after an incident with a frog; Sirena, a former mermaid; Cindy and Charlie, who didn’t want to get married after just one dance; and others), she has more and more questions. Does anyone ever graduate from the HEA? Why doesn’t anyone seem to remember former students? Is the kindly fairy headmistress all she appears to be? Is anyone? And the most important question of all: Can Rosamund change her story?
Acclaimed and bestselling author Alex London weaves together several beloved fairy tales in this fast-paced, funny, and slyly subversive adventure about finding your place in the world and taking control of your own story. The daring escapes, sinister monsters, familiar friends, and surprise twists will keep even reluctant readers glued to the pages. The Princess Protection Program is for fans of the Never Afters and the Descendants series, The School for Good and Evil, and the Fairly True Tales series.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
My sister! She used to have a very interesting job at Disney World, where she was…ahem…very close with various Princesses in the park. She told me about a support group she was in for—let’s call them associates—of former princesses called The Princess Protection Program. I loved the name so much and the concept for this book spun out from thinking about that name.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Without a doubt, the Einhorn brothers. They’re basically frat boy dirtbags with hearts of gold, who are…spoiler alert…unicorns in disguise. What better disguise for unicorns in the real world than a bunch of total bros? No one would ever expect they’re wondrous creatures of magic and starlight. They’re gross and awful and funny and kind and I love them.
YABC: Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?
Each fairy tale princess (and prince) had their own challenges. These are such iconic characters, finding something both fresh and familiar to do with each of them was extremely fun, but also difficult. How do you make someone like Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella feel like their own full person, while also being recognizable to readers outside of the fairy tale they’ve escaped? The challenging parts of writing this are the things that fueled the writing of it to begin with.
YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?
In this case, the title! It has led to some confusion, as there is, apparently, a 2009 movie of the same name, but the concept is completely different, so that’s helpful…because I was not about to change the title that inspired the book!
YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?
Is “everything” a reasonable answer? Because I loved everything about it. James Firnhaber, the artist, did an amazing job. I’ve loved his work on other covers and am honored to have had him bring his talent to bear on this story. The details and the vibe perfectly make the promise of what the book is, which is the most you can ask for on a cover. It’s beautiful, it’s inviting, and it feels like the book. I’m just thrilled with it.
YABC: What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2024?
I’m very excited to read Adam Gidwitz’s Max in the House of Spies. I love an espionage thriller, and I love Adam’s middle grade writing, so the two combined seem just tailor-made for my tastes!
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I have a lot of projects in the works! There is a sequel to the Princess Protection Program I’m at work on, and I have a picture book out next fall called Still Life illustrated by the amazing Paul O. Zelinsky about a still life painting that simply won’t hold still. After that, there’s a graphic memoir in the works for young adults, and another secret project or two…maybe even something for adults!
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
Productive procrastination. I procrastinate a lot, about everything, but I’ve found ways to turn that into something useful, putting off one task that needs to get done with another. For example, I wrote the first draft of The Princess Protection Program to avoid revising a different project I had to turn in. I was putting off doing that by writing this, and ended up getting both done, while simultaneously leaving my laundry, washed but rumpled, in the basket for weeks. It’s a gift and a curse.
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
Right now, with the eruption of book bans and censorship happening around the country, I’m grateful for the work of Pen America and their Freedom to Read Project.
Title: THE PRINCESS PROTECTION PROGRAM
Author: Alex London
Release Date: 2/13/24
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
ISBN-10: 0063303876
ISBN-13: 9780063303874
Genre: middle grade fiction/fantasy
Age Range: Ages 8-12
*Giveaway Details*
Three (3) winners will receive a hardcover copy of The Princess Protection Program (Alex London) ~ US Only!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway!*
Looks like a great read!
Book looks great! Look forward to reading them!
This book cover hooked me immediately and this sounds so cute!
This sounds like a fun read!
My students would love this!
My daughter would love it.
We love all things Princess!! Can’t wait to check this one out
my gosh I LOVE this
So cute!!
The cover is cute and I’ve heard exciting things about this book and can’t wait to read it.