From the diary: “July 22, 1981
On the way home from the Winkie convention I started reading American Fairy Tales, one of Baum’s non-Oz fantasies. I’d bought it at the auction. It was a curious object. As the book was out of print someone had taken a first edition and photocopied it then fastened the sheets into a notebook-like binding. All the writing was there so it did give me the opportunity to read the book but it was not an attractive thing.
“I’ve been trying to finish reading Ojo in Oz since Monday (today is Wednesday), but I just can’t seem to find the time.
“Monday I thought of writing a serial with The Lost Queen of Oz. … On Tuesday I finished and typed episode one: Dorothy’s Birthday.
“The way I’m working it is: I photocopied the typed copy today and am sending the first episode to several people I met at the Oz convention and saying in a letter that if they want to continue receiving the serial to write and tell me.”
It was a clever way to force myself to write a complete Oz novel. If I hadn’t had people expecting another episode I probably would have quit partway through. I even sold subscriptions. There were periods when I just couldn’t push myself to write. One hiatus lasted nine months. But The Lost Queen of Oz did get finished. I don’t know if anyone else kept their copy. But mine is in a box or a drawer. I haven’t burnt it.
4 comments:
Hey buddy, thanks for the comments about Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole. He and his family all have phenomenal chanting voices and a vocal styling that is incredible. I actually was shocked when I introduced myself one day and he said he already knew who I was hehehe. Anyway, I got to get him to sign it this past week so I'm a really happy camper!
BTW, if you want to read a deep and slightly off-kilter "Oz" type book, you should read "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire... it's the alternate story of the life of the Wicked Witch of the West... good stuff!
Have you read "Wicked"? I've had it sitting on my shelf for years now and I never seem to want to read it when it's time to start a new book. The Wicked Witch is green, green is color of Margaret Hamilton and so I think, sequel to movie, not interested. So narrow minded of me.
No, I haven't yet read Wicked. I have it. I've taken it down from the shelf 3 or 4 times and read the first 2 pages, then put it back. Part of it is, as you say David, that it's movie-ish. The first pages has the Wicked Witch watching Lion, Tin dude, Scarecrow & little D skipping merrily down the yellow brick road. They never did that in the book.
I'm sure it can't be that hard to get to the third page.
On the other hand I have listened to the Broadway cast album of the musical "Wicked" and I enjoyed that.
I suspect that I'd have no problem watching Wicked when it inevitably gets made into a movie. But then, I like musicals. Or at least, the idea of musicals.
Post a Comment