Outside the tiny town of Hope’s End sits a long-forgotten wishing well that can make all your wishes come true—that is, if the wishes aren’t stolen by mermaids or woodwoses first. And of course, only if the wish meets the Wish Granters’ criteria. It’s a good thing too, because Kitsy and Teddy McGullen have a lot to wish for. They just ate their last can of food. They live below a tavern in a dreary basement. And their mom is deathly ill.
When the siblings stumble upon the wishing well, Teddy immediately uses his lucky coin to make a wish, but Kitsy is much too practical for such things. She’d rather steal the money at the bottom of the well and use it to buy whatever they need. But when they venture down the wishing well, they discover a lot more than a few old coins. The well is a doorway to the magical land of Lunia, home of the Wish Granters. Now Kitsy and Teddy must trek across this fantastical world full of magical creatures treacherous forests, and haunted labyrinths to deliver their wish and save their mom.
***
One day I saw some artwork of a cross-section of a wishing well on Pinterest and that got me thinking. Who exactly grants the wishes? And where did the idea of a wishing well even come from?
Then the voices of Kitsy and Teddy popped into my head. I had had ideas for kids' books before but never had much of an interest in writing them. Still didn't. But for weeks, Kitsy and Teddy chatted away in my head, insisting that I tell their story. Finally, I caved. But I had no idea how to write a kid's book, so I began reading a bunch of middle grade fiction, starting with the Harry Potter series. Then the Percy Jackson series. Then the Fablehaven series. I read the books I love as a kid--The Egypt Game, The Secret Garden, and more than a few Goosebump books.
The first version of Down the Wishing Well was only 25,000 words. It was short and sweet and fairy tale-esque. I loved the story and the characters but hadn't planned on doing anything with the story other than getting it out of my system. Then my dad was diagnosed with cancer and life suddenly seemed very short, so I sent my kids' book out to a handful of literary agents. I liked the book, maybe one of them would too. I would never know if I didn't try.
I was extremely fortunate to receive feedback from a few different agents who saw its potential. During the first of many revisions, the book more than doubled in size as the plot and characters grew richer and more complex. But something else happened too. I fell in love with writing for children. It brought me straight back to when I first fell in love with reading. I went from just wanting to get this story out of my head to changing the direction of my career from adult fiction to children's literature.
Down the Wishing Well has grown even larger, becoming the first in a trilogy (The Wish Thief and Upon a Shooting Star) and part of a larger series fantasy-adventure stories I deemed the Realms books.
Writing children's literature has brought a renewed passion and joy to my life. And I have Kitsy and Teddy to thank for that.
Get a sneak peek at Down the Wishing Well here.