Scooby Doo interviewed Eva Ibbotson, author of Journey to the River Sea and Great Ghost Rescue.

Scooby Doo:  Why do all of your books include orphans?

Ms. Ibbotson:  All my books do not include orphans (see the Great Ghost Rescue and Not Just a Witch to be published soon).  Where they do it is because it is easier for children to have adventures without their parents around.

Scooby Doo:  Why do you always write fantasy books?

Ms. Ibbotson:  I don't think the Journey to the River Sea is a fantasy book. My earlier books were just romps involving characters that I felt sorry for like wizards, witches, and ghosts.  I don't really think of them as fantasy but just as adventures that these sort of people would have.

Scooby Doo:  In your book, Journey to the River Sea, where did you get the idea for the characters Maia, Miss Minton, Finn, Clovis King, Beatrice, Gwendolyn, Mrs. Carter, Mr. Carter, and Professor Glastonberry?  How do you come up with the ideas/characters for all your (wonderful!) books?

Ms. Ibbotson:  These are the questions that I cannot possibly answer briefly.  Ideas come from anywhere and everywhere - from people one has met, things seen out of train windows or memories of ones own experience.  You cannot force these ideas but you can't get rid of them either once they come.

Scooby Doo:  Why did you choose to set Journey to the River Sea in South America?

Ms. Ibbotson:  Journey to the River Sea is set in South America because it grew from my having heard about the opera house in Manaus.

Scooby Doo:  Who are your favorite characters from your books? Why? Which of your books is your favorite? Why?

Ms. Ibbotson:  Authors don't really have favorite characters or favorite books any more than mothers have favorite children.