From Ven
Hello again, I've just read all the Chrestomanci questions and I have one no one has asked yet: What will become of all the babies from Stealer of Souls? (I'm going to try not to spoil the ending but please stop reading if you are afraid that I might.) There seem to be some interesting possibilties, like was it one or both of the twins? And some of the babies may have their own magic and some may have it but not seem to and vice versa. By the time they are about ten years old and going for testing at the castle it will be mayhem I'm sure. And will they suffer the same restrictions as those they, you know, got their magic from? I just thought of another question, just a little one -- is Caprona based on any Italian city in particular. it reminds me of Siena, but that's the only one I know at all well.
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I've read the Chrestomanci books in order and the paperback of Charmed Life has now absolutely fallen to pieces, from reading it so often. Kate S said your books were "so thick and heavy with small happenings that result in changing the outcome of everything else." That's exactly how it is, your books are just so rich I can read them again and again and it's different every time, and i still laugh at the jokes. I've left questions before, I'm female, over forty and the proud possessor of a grand ginger cat, who could play Throgmorton in the film!
Diana's Reply
It IS an interesting question about all those babies in Stealer of Souls. I've been wondering about them too, for quite a while. I hope eventually Imight write about it, but so far nothing has happened.Caprona IS like Siena, isn't it? I had only been to Rome and Florence whenI wrote the book and I didn't get to Siena for YEARS after, and then I hadthat strange feeling of having been there before!
From ?
Diana's Reply
To: the person who wanted to know why is the beginning the beginning The fact is, I wanted to put the story of Cat first, but the publishers had already put them in the wrong order and they didn't want to scrap the copies they had printed.
From Meredith Lalande
Dear DWJ, I know this isn't a question but I've simply GOT to ask you. Could you please write more about Chrestomanci as a boy, mabe his adventures with Elizabeth,Millie and the other young enchanters? Please,please,PLEASE! Did you get the idea of Chrestomanci from Howl or visa versa? Because I notice simalaritys & I'm sure they both spend at least an hour on their hair.I LOVE YOUR BOOKS!
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Diana's Reply
The idea for Chrestomanci came many years before the idea for Howl. And to do the great enchanter justice, I don't think he is nearly as vain as Howl. He spends the first part of the morning sipping tea with lemon and doesn't do more to his hair than make the curls lie flat. But I admit he likes fancy clothes, like Howl, though in Chrestomanci's case it isn't vanity, more a need to feel splendid.
From Janet
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Diana's Reply
In answer to your questions, when I was a kid we knew an old man who could actually stick his fingers into the fire and not get burnt. I thought a fire would certainly burn me, but maybe a candle wouldn't, so I tried a candle. That is how I know how it feels. Yes, the world for rescued witches is our world here, but as soon as anyone gets here, they lose the gift of witchcraft and become good at something else. Chrestomanci explains this to Nan.
From Kenna
Hello! My first question has to do with Janet's expletives in "Charmed Life"--they're wonderful, and they make me laugh all the time. For example, 'creeping antimacassars'; do people you know actually say that (England is so much more interesting to me than America!) or did you make them up just for Janet, or what? Speaking of which, I adore Janet, she's my favorite, although it's ever so hard to decide! I also wanted to know whether you have listened to the 1992 recording of "Charmed Life" by Chivers Audio (read by Tony Robinson)? I'm actually listening to it right now, as I do whenever I'm feeling bad(which is rather often, I'm afraid, because of the dreary weather). Your books always make me feel better. One more question. I'm always hearing about people finding magic things--to tie it to you, the times I read about on this site when you drove somewhere with the witch who fiddled with time, or the enchanter named Cat, or your travel jinx. It seems that nothing like that ever happens to me, and I wish it would! Anyhow, to ge to the point--is it better to seek magic, or wait for it, or what? Thank you! I love your writing!
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Diana's Reply
To some extent Janet's expletives were modelled on my own, from when I used to exercise my dog, who was very strong-minded, so that I tended to swear at him and then look up to find a row of highly respectable elderly ladies, each with a well behaved poodle on a leash, staring at me in outrage. So I started to invent ways of swearing without swearing, if you follow. Like 'Bed Language' - 'Oh blanket!' and 'You pillow!' and so forth. Yes, I love the way Tony Robinson reads. I wish they'd used him for the tapes they have just made at HarperCollins, but they used other actors instead. Tony used to live just across the way from me. He's nice, even if he did give very noisy parties that went on until four in the morning. About magic happenings, I read a story the other day in which the author points out that magic actually happens ALL THE TIME and it's only if you THINK of events as mundane that you don't notice. For instance, he said - it was a vampire story - NO ONE can really see themselves in a mirror, or even appear there for other people to see, because the part which is actually YOU is hidden inside your head. If you start thinking about all life this way, I think you'll find you've been missing a lot of magic that was there under your nose.
From Claire Meador
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Diana's Reply
I think the publicity people put things in a misleading way. There is not really a third volume of the Chronicles of Chrestomanci. What they were probably talking about is the collection of stories called MIXED MAGICS, which does tell you a lot more things about the worlds of Chrestomanci, and Cat and Tonino.
From Mary Sturtevant
I am writing a report on you and your series, (mainly Charmed Life) and my teacher wanted us to send an e-mail to the author is the author was still living. Do you have any information which is not posted at this website that would help me make my report on you and your book Charmed Life more interesting and enjoyable for my teacher and my classmates? If you could send me an email back as soon as possible, I would appreciate it very much, thank you!
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Diana's Reply
If your teacher wants to email me for anything but the frivolous reason he/she made you do it, he/she is welcome to do it, but I would like you to convey to him/her that I regard this sort of command as an imposition. I am not the only writer who resents being pestered in this thoughtless way. I have made all the information a student might need available. You use that, and tell your teacher what I think of her/him, please.
From Brittany
What is the order of these books that I should read? I have these books and I would like to read them in the proper order. The books are: Charmed Life, Castle in the air, Howl's moving castle, the magicians of caprona, Mixed magics, Witch week, Eight days of luke, and the lives of christopher chant. Please reply.
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Diana's Reply
You will find that HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE comes before CASTLE IN THE AIR and that CHARMED LIFE comes before THE LIVES OF CHRISTOPHER CHANT. The order of the other books doesn't matter really
From Cheyenne Brown
Diana, how are you? when you wrote Witch Week how come no magic was alowed in the world they lived in? And what world did they live in? This is just an idea, but you could write a book about a guy who ran away from a house that noboby loved him and the book would be his adventure (just an idea).
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i have 12 cats, 3 chickins, 1 dog, and 1 pig. i an 11 years of age and i am your #1 fan of chrestomanci.
Diana's Reply
You must spend a lot of your day looking after animals! 12 cats. Wow! I find one cat a full time occupation. Magic was illegal in the WITCH WEEK world because it was dangerous and people were afraid of it. Think what it would be like if someone who disliked you simply had to wave a hand and make all your cats ill. You'd want magic banned.
From Alison
Hello, I just wanted to say I LOVE your books. I was going to ask about female Chrestomancis but then I saw that two other people had already done that. Oh, but I DO have a question. In "Lives of Christopher Chant" Christopher discovers some books by someone named Angela Brazil that come from world XIIB (a.k.a. us) Do those books really exist in our universe? I've never heard of her but then I live in the US and was only 2 when LoCC was written (though I did read a LOT of trashy books when I was younger). I think it's really cool and strange this stuff about your books coming true (all the interesting things happen to other people, of course) as it's never happened to me -- though once I did meet this guy who could have been one of my fictional characters, however that's another story. I am beginning to feel really bad about wasting your valuable writing time but that's the way I am so I'll keep on jabbering. I am one of the many people who have gotten crushes on Chrestomanci and Howl (and to a lesser degree Tom Lynn) but I think I'll pass up marrying either. Though I do know this guy who is like very Howl-ish in a way but I don't care for him as it's not like his heart is hidden... you know where (I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't read) I really want to hear about a teenage Chrestomanci -- I hope the idea for a book about that seizes you. And I find it hard to believe that Chrestomanci actually ended up marrying Asheth/Millie (they are the same, aren't they?) I wish this guy I was friends with as a kid would do that... but no. (I must sound VERY guy-obsessed but I'm really not. I just happen to know a lot of guys one way or another.) But anyhow I'll stop and get back to rereading Witch Week (cool book). How did you get the ideas for all the related worlds, and the serieses, and all?, anyhow
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Diana's Reply
Those books by Angela Brazil really do exist. I read quite a lot of them when I was a kid, even though they were pretty old fashioned even then. She is rather a good writer and makes you feel you really are in the schools she writes about. I want to know about a teenage Chrestomanci too. I've made several attempts to get a book written about this, but it just WON'T seem to go right. Actually people very seldom go on and marry people they knew as kids. That's why I want so badly to know about the teenage Christopher - what made him end up marrying Millie. I reckon it was something quite strange, but I still don't know what.
From Brian Huh
Diana's Reply
The 2nd volume of 'The Chronicles of Chrestomanci' came out at the same time as the first, or so they told me. You should be able to get it by now.
From POLARGIRL38@AOL.COM
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Diana's Reply
Dads have given up using their brains when they read, I'm afraid. I'm glad you understood the book and even gladder you enjoyed it. Enjoy Vol 2 as well!
From Sasha
Hi! My name is Sasha and I am 11 years old. I love the books on the Chronicles of Chrestomanci (I'm sure I will love your other books too). I can't wait till the book ''Mixed Magic'' comes out. I have a couple of questions. My first one is where did you come up with the name Chrestomanci? Was it easy? My second question is how to do pronce the name Chrestomanci? I also have to tell you how munch I loved how you had cats featured in some of your stories in the book the ''Chronicles of Chrestomanci''. I thought Benvenuto was the best. When I read the ''Chronicles of Chrestomanci'', in my mind I could see the whole scene happening infront of my eyes. It was like I was there but I was not. I really want to read another one of your books but I don't know which one to read. They all sound good! Could you suggest one for me? I thought the book the Chronicles of Chrestomanci volume 1 and 2 were so great that I thought they were better than the Harry Potter books. Thankyou for your time. - Sasha
Diana's Reply
To: Sasha I am not sure how I came up with the name Chrestomanci. It just came with the book, when I first got the idea. You pronounce it KREST - O - MAN - SEE. I am so glad you like the cats.
From Carly
In 'Charmed life', i was told that Gwendolen was spelt with a 'y' instead of 'e'. I checked and it was true. Which way is the right way???? I would spell it with a 'y', but it is only that on the back.
Diana's Reply
Names can always be spelled in a number of ways. In Britain, where I live, 'Gwendolen' is the most common spelling.
From Carl Roloff
Diana's Reply
Yes, the Goddess is the same as Millie in CHARMED LIFE.
From Kaylie
Diana's Reply
I didn't choose to change the books. The publishers were the ones who had the idea of putting them into two volumes and I had no say in what went on the front. I agree that people would be better than cats.
From Jenny Preston
Firstly - is the misprint in the Manchester Guardian (Carol Oneir's Hundreth Dream) a Gruaniad reference, or are my dad and I imagining that? Secondly - does 'Oosung Oyo' actually mean anything or is it just 'Seeing Eye' misprinted? My dad thinks it is and I think it isn't... Thirdly - is there any chance of any more of Carol Oneir? I liked the possibilities of more interesting dreams, hopefully starring Melville, who seems to be becoming one of my favourite characters. Oh, and I'd love to see Chrestomanci annoying Carol's Mama ('"Mrs... er... O'Dear"') again :o).
Diana's Reply
Yes, I was having Grauniad fun and your dad is right, it was meant to be 'Seeing Eye'. Typos always make me laugh. I had more fun with them in a story called 'Nad and Dan adn Quaffee' in another collection (Minor Arcana). And, yes, I do so agree with you. I fell in love with Melville as soon as he appeared in the 'dream'. I was always hoping that the Carol Oneir material would make a proper long book, but so far it hasn't.
From alison
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Diana's Reply
Yes, I think your sister must have got it wrong. I have never been a man. But there is nothing to stop two books having the same title, so it might have been another book entirely. The idea for other worlds and doubles followed quite logically as soon as I knew that Janet had come from somewhere else entirely and was otherwise a copy of Gwendolen. That is often a way to get ideas. You get a situation and then you try to work out what led up to it.
From Brittany Chant
This is not really a question but I got Charmed Life a week ago and it freaked me out becouse my dads name is Eric and our last name is Chant. I also have a second cousin whos name is Gwendolen. She is not really a Chant but she has Chant blood in her. I also know a Mrs Sharp. So I do have a question for you, where did you get the name Chant from? Anyway I love your books and I read Charmed Life in half a day. My mum is getting a bit annoyed with me becouse I have been begging and begging her to get me the rest of the Worlds of Chrestomanci books.
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Diana's Reply
Well, how about that! This is another instance of the way my books seem to come true in the end. When I wrote CHARMED LIFE your father must have been about Cat's age! But of course I didn't know he existed. I got the name Chant because it came into my head with the rest of the book. Then I checked in several telephone directories and discovered there were one or two Chants in most - making it not a very common name, but not unheard-of either. This is almost as peculiar as what happened with THE MAGICIANS OF CAPRONA. Caprona is an Italian state that I thought I had made up. Then I got a stately letter from the Count of Caprona and discovered he really existed.
From Iszy
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Diana's Reply
I AM writing a book as it happens, but there have been many interruptions and it won't be out until next year. Oddly enough, there are two people in this book called Izzy! I'm not sure of the title yet. But it is about multiple worlds. Yes, I am forced to believe in magic. A lot of it has happened to me.
From Lorelei Chant
Actually I'm not certain that this will end up as a question (that's the way I write, I start out with one thing and end up on one thing that is totally another and quite often belongs to another thought or place altogether) but it is also an appology. You see, i wrote you another question before, as you probably remember, and I'm pretty sure that somewhere in it I pleaded to you to write another Chrestomanci book (and if I didn't I meant to.) Then I read other people's questions to see what others were asking you, and I realized that SO many other people wanted you to write another Chrestomanci book that you (I'm sure) would begin to get frustrated!! And here I am , appologizing for asking you to write another WONDERFUL Chrestomanci book! But i still am hoping you will, as are you from what i gather. Oh, a question has struck me. Do you write one or two of your characters like yourself? With a little bit of you in them? Or the way you wish you were?? That is the way that i write. And if you do to, what character do you put most of you into?( If they are not from the Chrestomanci books, please explain them, althogh i have high intentions to read the other ones I have only started reading them a few weeks ago and the Chrestomanci books are the only ones i've read)
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i think i've said quite a lot. but i do have some suggestions for other Chrestomanci books if you might need a bit of help to get over a writers block. also, if i do become an author someday, i owe you quite a lot. thank you yet again
Diana's Reply
No, on the whole I don't put people in my books who are like myself. This is because I am inside, looking out, and I have no idea what people see when they are on the outside, looking at me. You are lucky to know what you are like.