Jess is an Aussie, an attorney and a die-hard Disney fan. She grew up in a city not too far from P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney; and she still enjoys running around in Snow White pajamas and serenading her family members with Sleeping Beauty’s “Once Upon A Dream” (though, unlike Princess Aurora, she is not blessed with the gift of song). She became an Honorary Princess of the Magic Kingdom after her Flynn-Rider lookalike fiancé proposed at Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner at Walt Disney World in 2018. Jess is an Elvis-lover like Lilo, and is otherwise singing along to her Frozen, Moana and Coco soundtracks (anyone listening will wish Ursula would pay her a voice-taking visit). When she doesn't have her nose stuck in a book, Jess delights in writing for The Disney Blog and sharing with fellow fans all things Disney.
Magic beyond the Moors: Disney’s Maleficent stories transform love and take on Shakespeare I spent my weekend in the Moors. Well, I spent Saturday and Sunday soaking up all the Maleficent series has to offer (so far!), thanks to the Disney films, Holly Black’s Heart of… Read More »How Disney’s Maleficent stories transform love and take on Shakespeare
Disney teaches us a lot of valuable lessons, including about “love, kindness and the joy of helping others” (thank you, Fauna, for that line from Sleeping Beauty), but it now also teaches us how to write meaningfully. Thanks to Cosimo Lorenzo Pancini and Disney Editions,… Read More »Disney’s Art of Hand Lettering: A beautiful lesson in writing, history and communication
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let it show… Calonita’s book is one all of us should know! Author Jen Calonita weaves webs of wonder in her Twisted Tales series. She maintains the key tenets of the classic Disney stories she adopts while developing a tale all… Read More »Conceal, Don’t Feel: Interview with Jen Calonita
From theme park pins to words of wisdom, Travels with Figment: On the Road in Search of Disney Dreams is a welcome glimpse into the life and lessons of Walt’s right-hand Disneyland News man, Marty Sklar. I am embarrassed to admit that I was only… Read More »Travels with Figment: A Fond Farewell from (and to) Disney Legend Marty Sklar
If you thought the movers and shakers of the early days at the Walt Disney Studios and beyond were just men, think again. Did you know that Sylvia Holland was the only woman working as a professional architect in the entire country of Canada at… Read More »Re-visiting Memory Lane with Mindy Johnson: A Chat about Women, Walt’s World, and Animation
In 1997, my parents took 9-year-old me to Disneyland for the very first time. As a wide-eyed, country girl from Australia, meeting Ariel was a must-do, but crossing over into The Twilight Zone courtesy of the Tower of Terror was the highlight, and it would… Read More »From Spark to the Park: A Magic Journey with Imagineer Kevin Rafferty
✰✰✰✰✰ Pencils, Pens & Brushes is a colorful, educational inspiration. A whimsical and wonderful biographical account, the book focuses on key accomplishments of many “Great Girls” of Disney animation who inspire with their talents at the turn of each page. Readers catch a glimpse of… Read More »Book Review: Pencils, Pens & Brushes belongs on your shelf
“Little princess, my gift shall be the gift of beauty…” Just as Flora bestowed upon Princess Aurora the first of three gifts, Bésame Cosmetics has bestowed upon us many gifts with the introduction of its newest collection: The 1959 Sleeping Beauty Collection. Premiering at this… Read More »The 1959 Sleeping Beauty Collection: An Interview with Gabriela Hernandez