Epistolary Novels – letter by letter
An Epistolary Story is one told through letters.
What is an epistolary novel? Simply put, it is a story told through letters. The most well-known (to me) is The Screwtape Letters, written by C.S. Lewis.
The Glinda Letters creates a bridge of history between The Hidden History of Oz stories (specifically The Witch Queens trilogy) and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum.
Dive into personal thoughts
Glinda writes to Oscar Diggs while he is in his self-imposed exile in Emerald City. She gives her deepest thoughts to her dear friend in messages that only they will see. There is an honesty conveyed in these letters that does not appear whens he is with other people. She conveys a sense of her own worldview that she simply cannot share with other people, due to her position as the Sorceress Queen of the South. She is responsible for protecting Oz, and that means duty comes first. There is no question that Glinda was fulfill her duty. The questions in her letters reveal a vulnerability that she cannot show to others.
See how they see themselves
The amazing thing about these letters is that Glinda sees the world in a very specific way. She believes in liberty and freedom, just like Oscar, but she does not believe that he can do it simply by being good. She has to gain power and protect him so that he can do what he believes in. Everything depends on her.
Glinda has a stilted view of the world that becomes apparent as you compare her words in private letters to her actions and words to others.
The Glinda Letters fills in the gaps between several stories in The Hidden History of Oz series. It is the backbone of history upon which to hang the sinews of story. It is one perspective drawn over a lifetime of experience waiting for love to open the door and step again into the light.
The Glinda Letters is available now on Amazon, or wherever ebooks are sold. Order your copy today and discover the Hidden History that sets the stage for Baum’s classic stories.
The Glinda Letters – Cover Reveal
The Glinda Letters is nearing the moment of publication. I wanted all of you to be the first to see the new cover design.
The Glinda Letters is an epistolary novel composed of letters written by Glinda and sent to the Wizard, Oscar Diggs, while he is in a self-imposed exile in Emerald City.
Glinda writes a letter to the Wizard each year on her birthday, and also when events in Oz deem it necessary. Each letter details significant information that Glinda is learning and that she believes is important for the Wizard to know.
Through these letters, Glinda reveals her true soul to Oscar, bathed in tears, scorched in anger, and tempered with the fine fury of decades of wisdom. She grows from the angry child into the fearless sorceress sworn to protect Oz from all enemies.
All the while, Glinda urges Oscar to come into the light and leave the darkness behind. The throne of Emerald City is his for the taking. With political unrest growing, the urgency in Glinda’s letters grows. Then it subsides as time moves on and the Wonderful Wizard becomes a legend, and then a fairy tale. He has become a story. Then his throne is threatened by another. The Crown Princess is born, and then she disappears mysteriously. Then a powerful young sorceress named Dorothy lands in Oz. After the Wizard escapes his exile and returns to the land of his birth, Glinda waits for his return, so that she can finally have her happy ending.
This book bridges the gap between The Witch Queens trilogy and Baum’s original Oz books, ending shortly before the events of Baum’s fourth Oz novel, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (1908).
Mapping the Hidden History of Oz
“Oz-and-surrounding-countrie” by L. Frank Baum (illustrated by John R. Neill) – Tik-Tok of Oz, first published in the United States in 1914. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Creating a map is an interesting process. I like to have things accurate, so that I can trust the facts. When it came time to update my map for the Hidden History of Oz stories, I had my work cut out for me. I did a lot of research on the Cartographer’s Guild to understand how good maps work. The Cartographer’s Guild has a great website with a lot of knowledgeable folks providing comments, critiques, and advice for creating accurate maps. I looked at the original map of Oz, and I saw some features that needed more explanation. Let’s take a look.
A Smashing Good Time – the Wicked Witch of the West
Few villains are as iconic as Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (MGM, 1939). Is it the green skin, the archetypal witch’s nose, or the wide-brimmed black hat that makes her so memorable? Maybe her screeching voice is what sticks in your memory. The Wicked Witch of the West has had multiple incarnations in the 100+ years since L. Frank Baum first published his novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Many additional authors have written about this witch. We will explore the four primary versions of the Wicked Witch of the West. These versions are:
- The Wicked Witch of the West, from The Wizard of Oz (film, MGM, 1939).
- Elphaba, from Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of the West.
Note: This is the original version of the character made famous in the Broadway musical, Wicked. - The Wicked Witch of the West, from L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
- Ondri-baba, from Tarl Telford’s Hidden History of Oz books.
What makes each of these versions different? Who is the Wicked Witch of the West, anyway? (more…)
Liberty for all
Oscar Diggs, also known as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, has one primary concern – liberty for all. What is liberty, and why is it so important to him?
Liberty is freedom to act, to choose your own destiny, to make decisions based on what you determine is right. Liberty is the opposite of tyranny. Liberty frees a man to become what he was born to become. Tyranny takes a man and binds him to what an all-powerful ruler determines that he should become. For Oscar, and for those who truly want to determine their own destiny, the choice is clear. (more…)
Teaser: Crown of the Dreamer back cover
The Hidden History of Oz, Book Two: Crown of the Dreamer is complete. It will very shortly be available for sale on Amazon. In the meantime, here is a brief teaser to get your appetite whetted for the continuing adventures of Glinda, Oscar, and the whole Hidden History of Oz cast. (more…)
Zombies in Oz
A Wheeler, from Return to Oz
The ill-fated kickstarter campaign for Ozombie (sponsored by the creators of American McGee’s Alice) notwithstanding, have you ever wondered if there could be zombies in Oz?
I assure you, dear reader, that such a thing can be, but not in the way that you might expect. It requires dark magic, a witch’s blood, and a mechanical construct powered by the magic of the brick roads. Intrigued? (more…)
Teaser: Crown of the Dreamer
The Hidden History of Oz, Book Two: Crown of the Dreamer is nearing completion. It is in the proofreading phase right now. I am very excited to share it with you. Every day brings the manuscript closer and closer to your hands. The story is just about ready to take off and make some magic.
Here is a teaser for the cover in-progress:
I anticipate that it will be available for purchase in September on Amazon, in both paperback and Kindle versions. Other digital formats will soon follow. In the meantime, if you haven’t picked up a copy of The Hidden History of Oz, Book One: The Witch Queens, now would be a great time to dive into the mysterious history of Glinda and Oscar Diggs. You can find the book on both Amazon, and Smashwords.
A Cover Story – The Witch Queens
On Wednesday, March 13, 2013, I received some fine compliments on the cover to The Hidden History of Oz, Book One: The Witch Queens. I was a guest on the second hour of Whispers in the Dark (download the podcast, it’s free). Right at the end, several people commented what a great cover the book has. They were talking, I wanted to say thanks, because it is my work, after all, but didn’t get a chance before the live feed ended.
So here is my chance. The cover is good because I put a lot of work into it. Here you’ll get a glimpse inside my thought process as I planned out the cover.
This is the first of many behind-the-scenes posts where I detail my thoughts and process as I built this book from the ground up. Everything, from the front cover image, to the words on the page, to the imprint logo on the spine, was designed by Tarl Telford, me. It was a lot of fun, and I’m proud of the finished product.
Let me pull back the curtain so you can see some of my process…
Munchkin Civil War
The Lollipop Guild, from the 1939 movie
Munchkins, you know, the short people in the Wizard of Oz movie. Why are they so short? Why do they like blue?
L. Frank Baum wrote four races into The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Munchkin, Winkie, Quadling, and Gillikin. Then there were the folks in the Emerald Lands – the accepted term is Ozian, which Baum used himself in three of his books.
As I was working on Hidden History of Oz, Book 2, I noticed something peculiar. Munchkins and Gillikins have the same suffix – kin. Could they be related? I believe so. Walk with me a while and I’ll tell you.
Four Witches in Oz
Dorothy melts the Wicked Witch of the West, by W.W. Denslow
There are four witches in Oz – one in each corner, or rather, one in each Cardinal Direction. L. Frank Baum laid out the powers that ruled the corners of Oz. In his first book, he detailed this witchy phenomenon:
“There were only four witches in all the Land of Oz, and two of them, those who live in the North and the South, are good witches. I know this is true, for I am one of them myself, and cannot be mistaken. Those who dwelt in the East and the West were, indeed, wicked witches; but now that you have killed one of them, there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land of Oz–the one who lives in the West.”
— The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, chapter 2, “The Council with the Munchkins”
So, four Witches? Is this a Star Wars dark lord of Sith-type limitation on the number of Witches? Let’s explore this witch-rule across three different versions of Oz – canonical Oz, by L. Frank Baum; Disney Oz, coming to theaters soon; and The Hidden History of Oz, available now.
You may have seen what Disney is doing with their Oz prequel, Oz, the Great and Powerful. If not, here’s a quick peek at one of the TV spots.
Which Witch is which?
Disney’s Witches
Official character bio for each witch:
Glinda – Glinda is a good witch who rules over a peaceful kingdom of simple, kind folk. Beautiful Glinda is not only a compassionate and benevolent witch, but also a fierce protector of her people. Though Glinda sees through Oz’s facade early on, she knows genuine goodness lies within and helps Oz achieve his true destiny.
Evanora – A witch to be feared, Evanora is Theodora’s over-protective sister. With her penetrating gaze, she exudes a powerful presence and has positioned herself as the royal advisor and protector of Emerald City.
Theodora – Theodora is a beautiful, naive witch who is protected by her powerful sister Evanora. Theodora only wants peace to come to the Land of Oz and truly believes that a prophesied wizard will arrive someday to restore order.
Then there is a silhouette of a witch in the fire. Who could this be? We’ll have to wait until March 8, 2013, when the film is released, to find out.
Baum’s Witches
North
The Good Witch of the North was not named in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Nor whas she named in any of Baum’s Oz books. However, Baum gave her the name of Locasta in the 1902 musical extravaganza, The Wizard of Oz.
Ruth Plumly Thompson, Baum’s handpicked successor in writing Oz books, revamped the character and gave her the name of Tattypoo.
The Good Witch of the North is often confused with Glinda. Why? Because the 1939 MGM movie, The Wizard of Oz, combined the two good witches into one and called her Glinda. Thanks for that.
East
The Wicked Witch of the East is not named in Baum’s books.
West
The Wicked Witch of the West is not named in Baum’s books. However, in the 1910 silent film, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this witch is named Momba in the intertitles (or title cards).
South
The Good Witch of the South is Glinda the Good. She is the most powerful of the Witches. According to the Soldier with Green Whiskers, Glinda:
“knows how to keep young in spite of the many years she has lived.”
— The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, chapter 18, “Away to the South”
So she was the most beautiful of the four witches. Later books in Baum’s Oz series refer to Glinda as a Sorceress, rather than a Witch.
Hidden History Witches
This information is taken from The Hidden History of Oz, Book One: The Witch Queens.
Gayelette
Gayelette is the eternal sorceress who rules from the Ruby Palace in the lands of the North. She is a sorceress who exists in a different time than normal people – she does not ever age. She is more than one hundred years old. Her constant research keeps her too busy to pay attention to either matters of state or family.
Gayelette researches the power of dreams, probing into the mystery, “Why does nobody in Oz dream?”
Kalinya
Kalinya rules over the Munchkins in the East as their unquestioned leader. She is cruel and easily irritated. Her magic is telekinetic, and her greatest threat is to throw a person into the sky. She is clever and constantly schemes to gain more power, especially against her chief rival, Gayelette.
It is Kalinya who later becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the East.
Ondri-baba
Ondri-baba is the homely and cruel younger sister of Kalinya. She is short and stocky, and fond of wearing ornate neckpieces. Her magic is invisibility. She has a magic eye that can see long distances; it can see what normal waking eyes cannot see. She controls the majority of the magic hourglasses sold by Smith & Tinker, and so controls the Sandy Armies.
It is Ondri-baba who eventually conquers the Winkies in the West and becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.
Sonadia
Sonadia is only mentioned in the book. She met her untimely death under very mysterious circumstances. Through conversations with Kalinya and Glinda, we learn that Sonadia had powers over weather, and she taught some of these spells to Gayelette.
Mombi
Mombi is a strategist and political opportunist. Though her powers of transformation and disguise are well-known to the leaders of the various lands in Oz, Mombi seeks out the true positions of power – those behind the throne. She is careful in her use of power, though sometimes she gets caught up in Kalinya’s schemes.
Note: Mombi is not mentioned in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, though she is the primary antagonist in Baum’s second book, The Marvelous Land of Oz.
Locasta
Locasta is a young Munchkin maiden, taken as an apprentice by Kalinya, Witch of the East. She is quiet and non-confrontational, doing what she is told. She fears her master and the cruel punishments that she earns for her supposed ineptitude. Her most powerful magic is the ownership of an oracular hat.
Though sent to capture Glinda, she learns a valuable lesson from the young sorceress and finds the courage to stand on her own merit. With Glinda building her forces in the South, Locasta becomes what Glinda cannot be – the Witch of the North.
Glinda
Glinda is the daughter of the Ruby Sorceress, Gayelette, and Quelala, rulers of the North. She was born a princess, but she imagines for herself adventure and romance, just like in her large collection of books. She has fiery red hair, and a temper to match.
When her parents disappear, Glinda finds herself thrown into adventure, with the Wicked Witches chasing after her. With a name and a fame belonging to her mother, Glinda fights back against the witches to earn for herself the title of Glinda the Good, and secure a new home for herself in the South.
History of the Witches in Oz
Baum’s version
According to Baum’s later Oz books, the witches had been ruling for decades, and the three witches – East, West, and Mombi in the North – conspired to conquer the entire Land of Oz and divide it up among themselves.
Hidden History version
According to stories in Book One, there have been two Witch Wars. Both of these wars tore the Land of Oz apart as the Witches combined their powers and created vast armies to fight against the kings and queens of the land.
In the Second Witch War, the Witches obtained an alliance and power from the Queen of Dreams, a mysterious ruler from across the sea. The Witches unwisely used this power and poisoned and destroyed the sea. The sea became a toxic desert that surrounds the Land of Oz.
Book One details the beginning of the Third Witch War, as the Wicked Witches again combine their power to overthrow the rulers of the land. While this book begins the Third Witch Wars, they do not end until later books, with the arrival of a young “sorceress” (Dorothy) to the Land of Oz.
How will it end?
The Witch Wars end when all the Witches are dead. We know that Dorothy interacts with all of the main witches in the original story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She destroys two of them, and receives magical protection and favors from the other two. However, the journey from four cardinal witches to two witches is a fascinating one explored in the Hidden History of Oz novels.
If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, you can find it on Amazon (in paperback and Kindle versions) or on Smashwords.
Edit: Update on the ending of the Third Witch Wars. It happens in later books, not Book Four. – Tarl
Intersections of Oz
This handy infographic displays the interrelationship of Oz stories.
There are a lot of Oz stories out there, and we’re about to discover even more. Find out where The Hidden History of Oz series, written by Tarl Telford, fits into everything.
Hidden History Map of Oz, circa 1852
Map of Oz, during the time of The Witch Queens
The mapped Land of Oz holds many mysteries. There are many places to explore. This map is just the beginning of your journeys.
See, this is the official map for The Hidden History of Oz: Book One, The Witch Queens, included in both the paperback and Kindle versions. Note that this is not all of Oz. This is the map of the places traveled to in this story.
Let’s look at the structure of the map first, then look at the deserts. (more…)
Powered by Dreams
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Dream City, by Paul Klee, courtesy wikipaintings.org
The basic premise of the Hidden History of Oz is “dreams determine reality.” Compare this with the basic premise set forth by L. Frank Baum in his written introduction to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:
“… a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out.” (emphasis added)
As stated on this site, “There is that history which is celebrated … and that which is hidden.” Baum told simple stories with no explanation. They have enchanted generations. The fairy tales of the past have been lost in the shadows as today’s knowledge has expanded. It is time to revisit the fairy tales and discover their meaning for our generation. (more…)
The Hidden History of Oz 