The Dreamer of Staplehorn

I just wanted to share my personal experience of watching "The Dreamer of Oz." During the late 80s, prior to seeing TDOO, I was trying to write a detective novel. At the time, I thought that Mystery was the genre I'd most likely pursue as a novelist. Then, in December 1990, I saw TDOO and everything changed.

I was so moved by the details of L. Frank Baum's life, so impressed by the (then) state-of-the-art CGI effects, that I decided to scrap the detective novel I'd been writing and devote myself to writing a fantasy novel instead. I knew, of course, that I could never write something as perfect as "The Wizard of Oz," but at the same time I felt compelled to create a fairyland of my own -- if nothing else, my book could be a family heirloom, something that my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc, could read and enjoy for generations to come.

As the years went by, I found that writing a fantasy novel was much more difficult than I'd imagined. However, at least once a year I'd pop in my VHS copy of TDOO, watch it in a single sitting, and any thoughts that I'd been having of giving up and admitting defeat would immediately vanish.

Sure enough, my book gradually began to take shape. I came up with the name "Staplehorn" for my setting -- a development which I considered to be very significant, as it made the fairyland more real for me as I wrote. I also came up with various ideas for characters: an origami firefighter, a living statue, an androgynous magician, creatures known as "Spewels," and (my two personal favorite ideas) a paper doll named "Sally Watermark" and a villain named "Lord Fogbrow."

Finally, in 2006, I officially completed my novel and began submitting query letters to various publishing houses. Unfortunately, just as the case had been with L. Frank Baum trying to sell "The Emerald City," publisher after publisher rejected my work. Eventually I decided to publish it myself...

At this point I've only sold a dozen or so copies of my book (nothing like the success Baum enjoyed when he self-published "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz") but I nevertheless feel that it's an extremely worthwhile experience.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my story with other fans of "The Dreamer of Oz." That movie, more than any other that I've seen, affected me on a personal level -- it's truly been an inspiration!

Does anyone else have a personal story to tell involving "The Dreamer of Oz"?

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