20 Tidbits About the Progression of The Wish Thief
1. Glory Alley and the Star Riders started as a short story for the Writers of the Future Contest.
2. It was the first time (and the only time) I felt the words effortlessly flow into me as if they came from some other source. I truly felt inspired and couldn't stop writing until it was finished.
3. I wrote over 22,000 words, from beginning to end, in two days. I didn't eat or sleep for 48 hours. Later, I had to cut down the number of words to qualify for the contest. In case you're interested, I type 85 wpm. Heh.
4. It didn't even get an honorable mention in said contest. Bummer.
5. I stored it away in cyberspace for three or four years, until one day I stumbled across it again and said I'm going to make this puppy into a novel!
6. The short story I submitted to the contest had an Irish theme going. The star riders were leprechauns. The Elboni was the Blarney Stone. I got rid of all of that in the re-do.
7. There was no Bamboozle in the original short story.
8. Glory was originally a ten-year-old boy named Dustin. George was a little girl named Gracie (in all of my stories little girls start out as Gracie, but I usually change it later).
9. In the short story Clash was a boy named Mark. In the second revision of the novel, he was a girl named Clash. In the final copy, he reverted back to being a boy.
10. I originally planned to market this to an adult audience. When I decided to make it more kid-friendly, I had to tone down the language and reduce some of the gritty stuff centered around Patrice Alley and Ted Filmore.
11. I debated really hard about Mean Dad's cussing. Should I give him actual swear words to make it more authentic? Or do I have him mock cuss and risk having it sound cheesy? I went with the cheese. Havarti is my favorite.
12. The name I ultimately went with for the protagonist was NOT chosen totally at random. Her first name begins with a "G", and the last with an "A", all because of a dream I had in my mid-twenties. I'll spare you the details, but it made an impression. Normally, I'm not a superstitious person, some might even say that I'm cynical to a fault. So I guess, this is my attempt at forcing fate. If you study ancient literature, you know that seldom ends well. Yikes.
13. When I was querying, a well-known secular agent told me he enjoyed the story and thought I had talent, but he was going to have to pass. The imagery and underlying themes were simply too Christian. He wouldn't be able to sell it to a mainstream publisher. On his suggestion, I started querying Christian publishers.
14. When I started querying Christian publishers, I quickly realized that only a few of them were interested in fiction. A husband and wife publishing team were kind enough to send me a personalized rejection. They cited two major reasons why my novel wasn't a good fit for them. First, the wife had an aversion to stories featuring portals and other dimensions. Um...okay. Second, the Christian elements were too subtle to suit their tastes. They suggested that I try to market it to a mainstream publisher. Talk about frustrating! That's when I decided to self-publish.
15. I had no money and no idea how to go about self-publishing. Nonetheless, I dove right in. Trying to be frugal, I proofread it all on my own. Big mistake. I thought I had done a great job, but turns out I'm a terrible proofreader. Readers began to complain about all of the typos and rightly so. That's when I decided to go ahead and fork over the dough to pay a professional. Even then, I must confess, the difference between editing and proofreading went over my head. I thought the terms were interchangeable. Thankfully, I've learned a few things since then. That's why the story is no longer for sale. I've taken it down until I can raise the funds to get a proper edit. I hope to eventually relaunch the book the right way.
16. Another mistake I made was using a homemade cover. While the girl on the front was really cute (my daughter, actually), the cover looked unprofessional. Later, I had an epiphany that a killer cover is a must! It's the first thing potential readers notice. If it fails to attract, they won't bother to read the blurb, and the book simply won't sell. That goes double for the Young Adult market!
17. A year after Glory Alley's launch date, an artist friend took pity on me and made me a beautiful cover. However, the first three months of a book's life are the most critical, so the damage was done. Another lesson learned the hard way!
18. By some miracle, despite all of my blunders, and the lack of any kind of marketing beyond a free giveaway, the book sold a few copies and managed to amass a 4.2 star rating on Amazon.
19. A reviewer, after having read the book, asked me to explain why the book was categorized under Christian Fantasy. She felt like the label was misleading because there were no Christian characters and the book doesn't even take place on Earth. Hence, the reason I created the Glossary/Study Guide as an afterthought and placed it at the back of the book. It's optional reading, of course. As an author it's not my place to tell readers what the story "ought to mean" to them, so I'm not sure if I'll include the guide in the next edition. But in case you're a little nerdy, and enjoy digging for symbolism and themes, the guide will give you some insight as to what I was thinking as I brought this tale to life.
20. I freely admit, without apology, that the story flows from my core belief that God is Real and He is Good. However, catechizing readers isn't my intention. My goal is to spark your imagination and let it carry you away on a wild adventure. The book is meant to be entertaining. Period. Dot. The End. You're free to interpret it anyway you want, and you won't be wrong, because it's fiction, not the gospel, so let's have fun.
Religious Symbolism
A note from the author about the "buried treasure" found throughout The Wish Thief
When I created Glory Alley, I imagined a spunky
teenage girl living on Tullah, a planet similar to modern day Earth with a few
major differences. Tullah has never heard of any of the old testament prophets,
and Jesus Christ hasn’t been born yet. Since The Wish Thief is told from Glory’s limited perspective, there are no
direct references to scripture in the story.
So why label it Christian? Hopefully, my short explanation suffices.
Regardless of the setting, alien or
otherwise, it’s Christian Fiction when, whether the characters comprehend it or
not, their universe is ruled by Christian truths, as far as the imperfect human
author understands them.
Glory is an example of a character who doesn’t
comprehend the guiding force behind her life. Considering her time and place in
history, how could she? But the Christian reader is in-the-know.
As an author, I strive to accurately reflect Christian
truths in my books. Nonetheless, my understanding of said truths is imperfect. Poetic
liberties have been taken. It’s an adventure story at heart. You can take the
religious stuff or leave it, and when I was a kid, I certainly would have left it.
That’s what I did with the Chronicles of
Narnia.
In the 6th grade, I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Its Christian references went
over my head. I didn’t get that Aslan, the lion who sacrifices himself to save
Edmund, was supposed to represent Jesus Christ. I simply enjoyed the world of
Narnia and all the glorious adventure that went with it. As an adult, once I
understood the religious significance, I was able to appreciate the story on a
new level. But I have never forgotten that it was the magic and adventure that
captured my imagination as a kid. Underlying themes and symbols meant nothing
to me. If that’s how you feel too, that’s perfectly okay. I can identify. However,
if you happen to be the curious type, and want to know why the author chose certain
names and specific imagery, read on.
But first, a quick overview of symbolism for
the younger readers.
What’s
a Symbol?
A symbol is a person or object that has a deeper meaning
beyond its obvious or literal meaning. The following examples are common
symbols you are probably already familiar with:
·
Heart: represents
love or romance.
·
Black: the color
stands for different things at different times. Death, mourning, evil, anger,
night, or fear of the unknown.
·
Blood: an interesting
symbol because it can represent both life and death, both good and evil, and a
host of other things too numerous to mention.
·
Circle: a shape that
goes on and on without end, stands for eternity.
·
Dragon: like many
symbols, stands for different things in different cultures. In the East, dragons
generally stand for benevolence, luck, and wisdom. While here in the West,
they’re associated with power, evil, and trickery.
·
Dove: a symbol of
peace, purity, or the Holy Spirit.
When you encounter familiar objects like these in a story, this
is where you’re supposed to pause and reflect on their possible deeper
significance.
For example, in the short story, Kingdom Come by James Levine, a prince on a hunting trip shoots a
dove with his arrow. For readers who don’t know that a dove stands for peace,
the bird getting shot is just a random scene with no significance beyond the
hunting trip itself. But the observant reader sees it as a sign that the prince
is going to start a war with a neighboring kingdom.
When an object has meaning beyond its outward appearance—how the
‘killing of a dove’ represents the ‘killing of peace’, hinting that a bloody war
is on its way—that is symbolism. Spotting symbols takes a bit of practice. So
for those who want a little help, the next section discusses some of the major symbols
used in The Wish Thief.
Bamboozle - The Bamboozle is located on a tropical
island that floats above the clouds of planet Wybb. It is made entirely of
white sand, taller than the trees, and shaped like a gourd with a long straight
stem. “It’s like a desert in there,” Glory comments, foreshadowing the trial
that’s about to take place. In the Bible, the desert is a place of temptation,
where the threat of death constantly looms. It is there, inside the sandy
Bamboozle, where Glory is tempted to give up her quest.
Bone - One of the three Star Riders from planet
Wybb. He carries a magical rib bone in his hatband called the Thunderbone. As
one of the three Star Riders, Bone reflects the Goodness of God, but in an
imperfect way. Bone represents the Father, Who created Adam from the dust of
the earth, and Eve from the rib bone of Adam. Through the Thunderbone, Bone can
create substance out of nothing, similar to the way God created the material
world out of nothing. He is NOT God though—just a representative.
Crown
of the Morning Star – A
building located on the planet of Wybb—home of the Star Riders. It was built
for the specific purpose of holding the Elboni. The building is a sacred place
and Wybbils regularly make pilgrimages there to pay homage. Lady Gost and the
Book of the Law are there as well. The Crown of the Morning Star and Queen’s
Mesa are mystically superimposed over one another.
This excerpt is the scene when Glory is first taken to Wybb. They
arrive in the Crown, where the Star Riders proudly show her around:
They turned to the center of the Crown, got
down on their knees, and each kissed the floor three times. The Star Riders
stood around Glory. White Feather puffed out his chest and waved his hand like
a game show assistant presenting a new car.
“This building boasts seventy-three windows
in all, including the four glorious rose buds of stained glass.”
“There is no place quite like it in the
spectrum,” Needle said with a wistful sigh.
“Is this heaven?” Glory asked.
“Not quite heaven,” Bone explained, “but it
feels like paradise to me.”
The four stained-glass windows with the various winged
creatures are a reference to the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
They represent written revelation. How, like a building full of windows, the
bible is an opening to the Word of God, letting in the Light of Truth, to fill
our hearts, minds and souls.
Elboni
Stone - The Elboni Stone has
always existed on Tullah, but it has been hidden deep within Queen’s Mesa since
the beginning of time. Then one fateful day, a girl with a stone fetish brings
it out into the world. That girl is Glory Alley. The revelation of its magic is
gradual. Glory herself doesn’t realize the scope of its power. The Star Riders
and Lady Gost have a deeper understanding of the Elboni than most creatures,
but the stone is a mystery even to them.
There be only one true magic in
this universe, White Feather
tells Glory. And that’s Elboni. The
stone symbolizes God, the source of all creation. The Star Riders tell Glory
that the Elboni exists in different forms on different worlds. It looks like a
green orb of light on their world. In each world, it takes on a different form.
The stone form it appears in on Tullah foreshadows the coming of Christ on
Earth. Scripture refers to Jesus as the cornerstone, hence the reason the
Elboni takes the form of a rock on this fictional world.
The
stone the builders have rejected has become the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Acts
4:11).
When Glory encounters the Elboni for the first time, she senses that it
is much more than a rock and knows nothing will ever be the same. Yet, her mind
doesn’t grasp what has happened to her and to all of Tullah. In essence, Glory
is the proverbial Christian Pilgrim. She’s not enlightened all at once. Her
spiritual voyage is going to take time. At the end of book one, Glory still has
a long ways to go.
George
Alley – George is the
youngest Alley. He is three years old when the story opens. His mother, Rose
Alley, died shortly after his birth. As a result, his father blames him for his
mother’s death. Nana, George’s grandmother, thinks he’s developmentally
delayed. Little George spends most of his time roaming around the house,
sucking his thumb, with nobody paying any attention to him. His older siblings
find him annoying, but Glory is his champion, protecting him whenever Dad goes
on one of his rampages.
The two youngest Alleys, George and Glory, share a special bond. Early
in the story he gets poked with a needle, spilling blood, symbolizing his
connection with Jesus Christ–the Sacrificial Lamb.
Glory
Alley – Glory Alley is the spunky
main character of The Wish Thief. The
story is told from her point-of-view. She is 13-years-old with four older
siblings and one younger. She mourns for her mother. Lives in fear of her father’s
drunken tirades. Yearns for wealth and respect. Worries about her delinquent
older siblings (Brandon – 18, Patrice – 16, Randy & Danny – 15) and aging
grandparents. Feels protective of her neglected little brother (George, who
turns 4 in the middle of the story). Loves to explore Queen’s Mesa with her
best friend, Clash. Collects rocks for a hobby. Frequently turns to food and
Queen’s Mesa for comfort. Wants to be a geologist some day.
Her three biggest fears
are:
1) Having her faults
exposed in front of her peers.
2) Dying alone and
in the dark without any hope.
3) Losing her
family.
Glory’s quest stems from these fears, but it eventually
transitions to a higher purpose. In essence, Glory represents all who seek HIM.
She’s a flawed heroine who suffers from greed, envy, and pride. Her desire for
material things and social status blinds her to what is really important. But she’s
also loving, industrious, and courageous. When she discovers the Elboni Stone,
it awakens her spiritual hunger. However, until she lets go of her attachments,
including her obsession with getting a wish, she cannot move forward.
I could write a lot more about Glory, but I
prefer to let each reader define Glory in his or her own way.
Hoogula – Otherwise known as the Red-Eyed Devil of
Queen’s Mesa, roams from dimension to dimension, trying to keep unenlightened
creatures from finding the Elboni (God). The Star Riders call him Budd, which
is short for Big Ugly Devil Dog.
The Hoogula is a demonic creature. He prowls the world trying to keep
the souls of men and women in the dark. When Glory meets him for the first
time, Budd is described like this: It had
a huge doggish muzzle, pointed black ears, and a white hide like scorched rock.
It stood eight feet tall at the shoulder. Brown, thorn-like protrusions
speckled its body.
In part, his description is taken from the parable of the sower, where
the seed is choked by thorns, and where other seeds fall on scorched rock,
preventing them from bearing fruit. See the Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapter
13:1-10.
The Hoogula’s job is to keep the Elboni Stone’s ‘magic’ from taking
root in the people of Tullah, so his appearance reflects the images from that
specific verse.
Lady
Gost – Gost is short for
Guardian of Sacred Things. When the Star Riders take Glory to Wybb, they bring
her to the Crown of the Morning Star, where she is to meet Lady Gost. Glory
thinks she looks like a bride. Her dress is long and white. She wears a veil of
stars over her hair. Lady Gost carries The
Book of Laws and its her job to guard and interpret it. In her betrothed’s
absence, she rules Wybb. Lady Gost represents the Church, the Bride of Christ,
who helps guide the faithful toward spiritual perfection.
Needle
- Needle is a Star Rider.
His weapon is the Nightburner. As the second of the three Star Riders, Needle
represents the Second Person of the Trinity. The Nightburner he carries, which
looks like a slender silver spike, represents the suffering of Christ, Who was
nailed to a cross. One of the Nightburner’s powers is to bring light into dark
places. In the Crown of the Morning Star, Needle mediates for Glory’s life, a
reference to the way Christ mediates for mankind. Glory thinks he is the
kindest of the Star Riders. However, Needle is a mere creature, an imperfect
reflection of Christ.
Nightburner – The magical, long, and slender spike
carried by the Star Rider called Needle. The Nightburner is an unending source
of light. It cleanses objects, revealing their true nature. It has other useful
properties, yet to be explored. See Needle for additional information.
Paraplume
– The magical white feather
carried by the Star Rider, White Feather.
The Paraplume opens portals from one dimension to another. It also has the
power to erase language barriers. As an added bonus, it quickly gives its user
insight and knowledge (symbolic of the Holy Spirit). It has other useful
properties, yet to be explored. See White Feather for additional information.
Star
Rider - Each magic-based
world has a set of Star Riders. Sets come in threes. Star Riders are not
omniscient, omnipotent, or immortal. However, they are given special graces and
magic to help them “police” the universe. Their hats, their clothes, and even
their shoes are more than they seem, but Glory doesn’t realize this right away.
“We are conduits of the Elboni’s magic,” Needle tells Glory. “Yet we cannot
grasp the scope of its power.” The weapons of a Star Rider team consist of the
Thunderbone, Nightburner, and Paraplume. Non-magic-based worlds like Tullah do
not have Star Riders of their own. Therefore, when a problem of a magical
nature arises, a Star Rider team from another dimension is sent to deal with
it.
Thunderbone
– The magical rib bone
carried by the Star Rider, Bone. The Thunderbone can create objects out of
nothing, but they eventually dissolve. It has other useful properties, yet to
be explored. See Bone for additional information.
Wein
– The name is derived from
the phrase, Where Elboni Is Not. The Star
Riders argue as to whether tohat’s an apt name for the place. Basically, the
Wein is a depiction of hell.
Weinling – The Weinling is a creature modeled after
the Leviathan from the pages of the Old Testament (Isaiah Chapter 27:1). Here’s
a description of him from the footnotes:
Leviathan –
The Weinling, like the devil, is a
great tempter. It lures creatures to their spiritual deaths with promises of
great beauty, material wealth, and vain glory.
White
Feather - The third of the
three Star Riders from planet Wybb. His magical weapon is a white feather
called the Paraplume. This Star Rider is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, which is
often represented by a dove. Hence, the name White Feather. White Feather, by aid of the Paraplume, can open
doors between dimensions. This symbolizes how the Paraclete (another name for
the Holy Spirit) opens our hearts and minds. The Paraplume also erases language
barriers, which is what allows the Star Riders to communicate with aliens in
their native tongue. However, Glory understands them because she touched the
Elboni Stone, but they don’t realize this and chalk it up to the Paraplume.
This list
was just to help get you started. Like gems hiding in
Queen’s Mesa, there are more symbols and themes waiting to be discovered. Good
luck, spelunkers!
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