This week YA author Serena Valentino took over our Twitter as a part of our weekly Thursday Twitter Takeover. Serena Valentino is the author of Cold Hearted. (See YEM’s interview of Serena Valentino here.) See highlights from the takeover below.
Hello, everyone! @SerenaValentino here, the author of my newest book in the Villains Series, COLD HEARTED! I’ll be sharing my inspirations, and answering questions! This is going to be fun! #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/TNVBT95ymn
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
One of my inspirations for COLD HEARTED was Grey Gardens. Especially for the scenes in the book that take place after the events in the film Cinderella. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/7CM8cFP954
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
But FGM doesn’t want to help the evil stepsisters, so it’s up to FGM’s sister Nanny to talk her into helping Anastasia and Drizella, and by doing so they read the Book of Fairytales to learn Lady Tremaine’s and their story.
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Poor Anastasia and Drizella are forced to wear wedding dresses by their tyrannical mother Lady Tremaine. This is one of the reasons Cinderella asks FGM for help. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
More inspirations: for both COLD HEARTED and EVIL THING! #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/5HTZMdqdHD
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Here is one of the places I think about my characters and the stories I plan to write about them #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/yafT3lZbwe
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Here is one of the rooms I do most of my writing. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/89OUcBLy0l
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Some of my favorite storytellers #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/l2XlSMjIus
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
More inspiration 🌟 #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/gHfJ93ojdv
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
So, we’re also supposed to be talking about firsts! So here are some authors who first inspired me to want to become an author. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/RMYPt1j51i
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Another inspiration! The reason I started writing comic books! #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/cZebWa18ha
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Since we’re talking about firsts, the first book in the villains series is based on Grimhilde, the Wicked Queen from Snow White. It was the first novel I had ever written #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/tHcz17R6Ai
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
On the topic of firsts: here is the first story I wrote and was published back in 1999. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/Ju3263dIef
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Here is the map of the Many Kingdoms that appeared in the Odd Sisters novel. I was so excited to share my version of the Disney universe. For some reason I can’t tag the illustrator Pablo Santander from this account but he did such a lovely job! #YAauthorTakeover pic.twitter.com/XgXbrNGyFk
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
In case any of you were wondering what Circe looks like. Illustrated by Pablo Santander for the Odd Sisters novel. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/asejWopv09
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Here is another author who has been a great inspiration in my work. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/90NFP3b8Rg
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Speaking of Book Nine, I know a lot of you think it’s one of these gentlemen. Anyone else have theories you’d like to share? And why you think it’s them or someone else? #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/2amDuxlslk
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Speaking of the Dead Woods here are Gothel, Hazel and Primrose from my novel Mother Knows Best. Illustration by Pablo Santander #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/BsZtiWf2D7
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
In COLD HEARTED, and in the entire series FGM’s sister Nanny and the Blue Fairy feel everyone should have a fairy to protect them #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
This is one of the ongoing themes in the series that is closest to my heart. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
One of my other inspirations is Silent Films, both for my work in comics and novels. I take a lot of my visual inspirations from silent filmmakers. #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/vepkBNzEXK
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
I’m so happy so many of you have joined me today and are asking questions. This has been so much fun for me! We have just over 15 mins left if there is anything else you’d like to know! #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
One of the things I enjoyed writing COLD HEARTED was returning to the Many Kingdoms, seeing Lady Tremaine, a non-magical person in a magical land dealing w/ the likes of fairies & witches #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Here are two more of my favorite storytellers, Nick Cave and Tom Waits. Huge inspirations for my stories over the years #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/x3hYmGWK9n
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Artwork by Pablo Santander #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Thank you all for joining me today! I had such a great time chatting with all of you! My new Villains novel COLD HEARTED available in stores now! 🖤🖤🖤 pic.twitter.com/INQFOAVEa1
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
Goodbye, lovelies! I had a lovely time! 🖤 #YAauthorTakeover #ColdHeartedVillains #DisneyBooks @SerenaValentino #NYTbestsellingseries pic.twitter.com/CCArLpzatC
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) July 15, 2021
