Walt Disney once said that “when you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.” Well, I’m curious about everything! And since I’m guessing that you are too, I’ve compiled a list of answers to some of the questions you might have about me and my work. Have a question that isn’t listed? Contact me and I’ll answer it personally, if I can. Your question might even be added to this page!

Disney FAQs

• How did you become a writer-for-hire for Disney Publishing?

It was a combination of determination, talent, and being in the right place at the right time. My entries on the Kingdom Keepers Insider website caught the attention of an important editor at Disney Publishing. When I worked up the courage to reach out to her, to see if there was anything else I could do, she introduced me to other Disney editors—one of whom hired me to write the Big Hero 6 Read-Along Storybook and CD!

• Can I become a writer-for-hire for Disney, too?

My path to becoming a writer-for-hire was unique. Kingdom Keepers Insider isn’t open anymore, but even if it was, the results were highly unlikely: there were a lot of talented writers on that site, but as far as I know, I’m the only one who ended up working for Disney Publishing. But don’t lose hope—while the specifics can’t be replicated, the underlying skills of hard work, persistence, and believing in yourself will always apply. I put 100% of my energy and effort into everything that I wrote, kept trying over and over, and was brave enough to put myself out there. If you do that, you’ll be a huge step closer to making any dream come true!

• Who is your favorite Disney character?

Peter Pan: I love his magical adventures, and like him, I never want to grow up! Belle is my favorite princess, because we have so much in common. Some of my other favorites include Stitch, Mary Poppins and Bert, Marie and the other Aristocats, Chip and Dale, Pluto, Simba, Judy Hopps, Jaq and Gus, Robin Hood, Oliver and Dodger, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, Sorcerer Mickey, Fawn, Tinkerbell, Jessie, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger!

Fairytale FAQs

• What’s your favorite fairy tale?

Now that’s a hard question. There are so many to choose from! And on top of that, there are so many different versions of each—between the classic versions, the Disney versions, and all of the newer retellings—that it’s hard to decide which is the ultimate one. If Peter Pan counts, that’s probably my #1, and I love Beauty and the Beast too. But I’m partial to Cinderella when it comes to my own retellings: the idea of a fairy godmother leads to so many creative possibilities!

• Why do you like writing about fairy tales?

Fantasy has always been my favorite genre: I love how it makes the impossible possible. When you’re reading a fantasy book, you can experience incredible, magical adventures…and when you’re writing one, you get to actually create those adventures yourself! I’m especially fond of fairy tale reimaginings because they have all of the perks of fantasy, with the added bonus of playing with characters whom I’ve loved since I was little. If you’ve ever finished reading a fairy tale and wondered what happens next—or imagined what might happen if things went differently—you should try it, too!

• Is it “fairy tale” or “fairytale”? What’s with the different spellings?

My understanding is that “fairy tale” is the proper spelling for the word as a noun, while “fairytale” works best when it’s being used as an adjective… but I take a little creative liberty occasionally, especially if the usage seems to fall in a gray zone. I’m a perfectionist and I hate making typos, so if you do spot anything that doesn’t make sense, feel free to let me know!

Writing FAQs

• When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

My whole life! I didn’t really think of “writer” as a career until high school, but I’ve been making up stories since I could talk. Taking ideas that only exist in your mind and turning them into something tangible—something that other people can experience and enjoy—is an incredible feeling! I have a vivid memory of ‘reading’ a book out loud to my parents when I was really young. I knew how to read by then, but instead I opened the pages and ‘read’ stories that came straight out of my imagination instead.

• What do you like about writing for kids, tweens, and teens?

No matter how old I get, I think that I’m going to feel more like a kid than an adult. I once met the woman who served as the model for Disney’s Tinkerbell, and she gave me advice that I’ll always remember: there’s a difference between being childish and childlike. You grow out of the former, but you can keep the latter forever. This is the audience that I relate to the most… and honestly, writing for you guys is just more fun! I remember how much my favorite books influenced me when I was your age, and I hope that my stories will have the opportunity to impact you like that, too.

• Why are you credited as “Allie Lazar” for your Kingdom Keepers work and “Alexandra Lazar” for your Disney work, but go by “Alexandra Z. Lazar” here?

Rumplestiltskin and the Miller’s Daughter aren’t the only ones who care about names! Names are part of our identities, and I’m figuring out my identity as a writer as I go. In real life, almost everyone knows me as Allie. I wanted my friends—who are fellow Kingdom Keepers fans—to recognize me, so that’s what I used there. Once I became a writer-for-hire for Disney, I viewed myself more seriously as an author, and that’s when I pulled out my full name… but people don’t always pay attention to the names on the inside covers of books, so my middle initial felt like overkill. Whenever a piece of my original fiction gets published, the “Z” is coming back! All aspects of my online author platform are under “Alexandra Z. Lazar” because that’s the writer I hope to become.

• I remember hearing that The Other Fairy Godmother was a YA novel, but now your site says it’s middle-grade. What happened?

You have a good eye for details! You’re remembering correctly: when I wrote The Other Fairy Godmother, I intended it to be a YA novel. The main characters were seventeen years old. And since it was the thesis for my MFA program (where I focused on YA fiction) that made sense! But as I revised, I realized the voice, the themes, and the story I wanted to tell were better suited for MG. This was a very exciting discovery, because – even though it takes a lot of editing to age the characters down and reduce the word count – MG is the category that’s closest to my heart. And I’m still revising it now, as of September 2021, so who knows exactly where it will end up! After all, it’s not the first time I’ve shifted my plan: in my original short story, the main characters were old women!!

Everything Else

• What kind of pets do you have?

As of June 2019, I have twelve pets: three cats, three dogs, one turtle, one tortoise, one bearded dragon, one frog, and two hermit crabs. But over the years, we’ve had practically every kind of animal you can think of: rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, fish, lizards, chameleons, poison dart frogs, tree frogs, water frogs, toads, snails, beetles, butterflies, ants, birds, and more. But not snakes—I’m completely terrified of them!

EDIT: As of February 2020, I have eight pets: two cats, two dogs, one turtle, one tortoise, and two hermit crabs. It was a tough year for the Lazar household.

• What does the ‘Z’ (in your name) stand for?

Zofia! It’s the Polish version of “Sophia.” It was my great-grandmother’s name; she was a Polish immigrant. I never got to meet her, but she and my mom were very close. (If you assumed the ‘Z’ stood for Zooey, I’m sure he would be flattered, but I wouldn’t name my own cat after me. His name does have family history, though: he’s named after my mom’s cat, who was named after a character in the J.D. Salinger novel Franny and Zooey. We pronounce it “Zoo-ee,” not “Zoey.”)

• Why do you have so many comment boxes on your website? Most people only have them on their blog.

Your opinions matter to me, so I want to give you as many opportunities as possible to reach out. So go ahead: tell me what you think of my site, let me know if you’ve read my work, share your thoughts on fairy tales, or just say hi! Whether you’re commenting on my site, sending me an email, or reaching out on social media, I’d love to hear from you. (And I’ll reply to as many of you as possible, regardless of the medium you use to contact me.)

Keep checking back; this page will continue to be updated with new questions and answers!