Harry Potter influences and analogues
Many critics have noted that Jill Murphy's "The Worst Witch" series (first published in 1974 by Allison & Busby), is set in a school for girls, "Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches", reminiscent of Hogwarts. The story concerns an awkward pupil at a boarding-school for witches, who faces a scheming rival student. Her professors include a kindly and elderly headmistress and a bullying, raven-haired potions teacher. Murphy has commented on her frustration at constant comparisons between her work and "Harry Potter": "It's irritating … everyone asks the same question and I even get children writing to ask me whether I mind about the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and pointing out similarities. Even worse are reviewers who come across my books, or see the TV series, and, without taking the trouble to find out that it's now over quarter of a century since I wrote my first book, make pointed remarks about 'clever timing' – or say things like 'the Worst Witch stories are not a million miles from J K Rowling's books'. The implications are really quite insulting!"
Serena Valentino
Valentino has published five Villains novels. The first novel, "The Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen", based on the Evil Queen from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", was released on August 18, 2009. The second novel, "The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince", based on the character of Beast from "Beauty and the Beast", was released on July 22, 2014. The third novel, "Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch", based on Ursula the Sea Witch, the villainess from "The Little Mermaid", was released on July 26, 2016. The fourth novel, "Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy", written from the point of view of Maleficent from "Sleeping Beauty", was released on October 3, 2017. The fifth novel, "Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch," based on Mother Gothel, the villainess from "Tangled", was released on August 7, 2018. The expected release date for the sixth book, "The Odd Sisters: A Villains Novel", is July 2, 2019. Valentino is currently at work on her seventh Villains novel.