Two days ago I started writing Witch Wish. I've had the outline for a few months, so I know where the story is going. What I don't know is whether this will be the third book in a very long series, or if this will be the end...for now. I have plans for 2016, and they mostly focus on marketing. But what I do know for sure positive is that not everyone is going to like my books.
I knew that my witchy--books would offend some of religious folk. I expected that, but I was also counting on the fact that those who might be offended by magical arts wouldn't be reading books about witches. After all, my books are not, nor do they aspire to be, required reading.
What I didn't know was that some witchy-types would be offended. Some reviews make me laugh (I love the ones that say this is totally unrealistic. Well, of course it is, it's a time travel book!) And some make me scratch my head. Like this one: seemed liked the author was more trying to convince you to join her religion and that witches should be burned.
Really? Because I love Evie and she's a witch. In fact, I can relate to Evie more than any of my other characters. In writing her, I've channeled my 15 year old self. Like Evie, I really wanted to be on the school newspaper. Like Evie, I lived alone with my dad (although Evie lives with Uncle Mitch). And I had to watch my father and his courtships, which was hard. Having my dad remarry was even harder. Why would I want Evie to burn?
And although very few of us have the luxury of being a witch, we all have to decide who and what we want to be. We all make that decision over and over again everyday. Some might try and shirk that responsibility so that they can lay the blame for their screw-ups on someone else, but no one really likes those people...even the people that are those people don't like being those people.
My husband and friends have assured me that I can't worry about those who choose to be offended. After all, reading my books is purely optional...and practically free. If you want reality, find a news station. If you want religion, pick up a book of scripture. If you want witchcraft...well, you get the idea.
Aesop said it best about 1500 years ago. Warning, this doesn't end happily.
Æsop. (Sixth century B.C.) Fables. The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
| The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey |
| A MAN and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?” | 1 | ||
| So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: “See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides.” | 2 | ||
| So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn’t gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: “Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along.” | 3 | ||
| Well, the Man didn’t know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said: “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor Donkey of yours—you and your hulking son?” | 4 | ||
| The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the Donkey’s feet to it, and raised the pole and the Donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned. | 5 | ||
“That will teach you,” said an old man who had followed them:
| 6 | ||
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