WHY IRVING WISHBUTTON MATTERS
Posted on December 24, 2018
The February 2019 publication of the fourth and final volume in my Irving Wishbutton series is drawing close, and I thought I'd detail why I think this series is deserving of attention from all readers.
At a glance, my writing fits into the Middle Grade/YA categories, but it's more than that. Just as a Pixar film has layers of appreciation baked into it that allow young and old to become fans, I approach my creations in the same way.
Irving Wishbutton is the epitome of layered storytelling. It's a metafiction saga. Having characters be aware that they are in a book isn't new, but having the characters share a relationship with their writers, especially how closely tied Irving is to his author, is unique. Irving initially only evolves and grows when his writer works on him, but that soon changes as Irving gains more awareness of himself and starts to make his own, sometimes ill-conceived, decisions at the academy.
The struggle of the characters to stay true to the archetypes laid out for them by their authors is another area I explore that reaps wonderful storytelling moments. Irving is initially limited to reacting in a way that fits the mold that his author has poured for him, but he soon grows beyond that and affects the story much more directly as the series unfolds. It's an examination of destiny and whether our paths are already predetermined or if we can forge new paths. Others in his cast do the same. Seeing Sarya grow from a meek supporting cast member into a much stronger force is one of my favorite parts. Sir Gared is another who makes great strides in his development.
When Irving is thrown into the Domain of Sagas and must find himself all over again while treading against the sweeping tide of the unfamiliar narrative all around him, it's a metaphor for life and how our stories weave in and out of the narratives of others in our lives. Irving has to learn how to navigate being the star of his own story, while also being a dutiful cast member in the tales of others. I'm especially pleased with how the fourth book deals with this and find that Irving's exile to the Domain of Sagas adds true layers to his character.
The cast at the academy is pulled from a wide range of quest stories. This lets me create an eclectic band of heroes and villains. It also allows me to deliver surprising character twists because some characters get overhauled by their authors and some have their allegiances switched. I really enjoyed playing with the villain archetype in Sir Gared and Lord Raggleswamp. They are conflicted villains who are stretched thin by the whims of their writers, Sir Gared more so than the nasty Raggleswamp, but both evolve in surprising ways that serve the plot well.
Everyone needs to invite characters like Cocoon Boy, Roon Umberdare, and Tiberius Rex into their lives. A character so gun-shy that he retreats into a cocoon at the hint of danger or stress only to emerge a few minutes later as a totally new character is the definition of a scene stealer. Roon's story in the first two books deals with the dramatic changes her author imposes on her and her brother and creates wonderful conflict. And Tiberius Rex, a congenial spade dog, is just so loveable. Who can say no to an earnest canine traipsing around in a cute little astronaut suit? The Wishbutton series is filled with these memorable characters and so much more.
The Irving Wishbutton series is a coming-of-age fable that is relevant to our modern world because it takes the conventions of finding ones place in the world and magnifies it even more by having the characters contend with following a script their writers are busy penning for them while having totally new adventures at a school that has some dark secrets. I liken the genre to Fantasy Mystery because unearthing what's going on with Dean Harmstrike and his school are driving forces in the narrative.
This series reveals the ins and outs to creating a novel. The author interludes show how one breathes life into their narratives from the early brainstorming stages all the way to coaxing out a fitting conflict and plot twists that are inspired by the life experiences of the person behind the pen, or keyboard.
I know many new subscribers have downloaded the first volume of Irving Wishbutton. I'd like to encourage them to move it to the top of their reading list and start 2019 with devouring the first three books in January and February. This will set them up to dive into the fourth and final book as soon as it's released. I've crafted a love letter to those fascinated with fantasy and how stories are created and hope you'll get in on the ground floor of this ambitious project.
If you like the series, or any of my books, please do spread the word. There are so many good books out there and every review and shout out matters in the highly saturated media market of today.