“Yeah?” Theron said. He had asked me to come to the basement while the adults were busy, and he had an impish grin on his face.
“Why are you smiling?”
He had Auntie Carrie’s hand mirror, stolen from the bathroom. He wasn’t supposed to take anything from Auntie Carrie’s bathroom, but Theron often “forgot” rules. He put it on the carpet, reached behind his back, and pulled out my necklace with the comet stone. The long, white griffon feather dangled from it.
“Theron!” I gasped.
“You dropped this.”
I hugged him. Then I punched him in the shoulder.
“Ow!”
“Why didn’t you give this to me before?” I demanded.
He laughed, rubbing his arm. “The police took it from André. Evidence or something, but they gave it back today.”
“Where’d he get it?”
“Go ask him. Be sure to punch him, too.”
I pressed the feather against my cheek, then held it up and looked at it for a long time. I brought it to my mouth and whispered. “I’ll never forget. Never ever.”
Theron grinned, then picked up the mirror again. He held his silver stone knight in his other hand.
“What?” I asked. “What is it?”
He held the mirror up to me, squinching his eyes in concentration.
I looked at my own reflection, then suddenly I was looking at a different face.
“Doolivanti?” Gruffy said.
Acknowledgments
Like the Wishing World herself, this novel was created by the interweaving of many people’s imaginations and talents. I am excited to acknowledge those who included their threads in this group-created story. A big thank-you to:
Elowyn Fahnestock: For making me write this book. Your imagination is boundless, and your sense of story and character humbles this old writer. Thank you for being the inspiration for Lorelei and for bringing countless Wishing World characters to life, like Ripple, Sir Real, and the Swisherswashers. And thanks for our walks in the park where we came up with the cool Wishing World movie posters.
Dashiell Fahnestock: Ferbleticks! Oofatruts! I can’t wait to use them in the next Wishing World book. Thank you for your excitement for this story and for the adventure walks where we created Wishing World characters. A big thanks for HuggyBug the Pug! Most especially, thanks for being your heroic self so I could sketch you into the Mirror Man.
Lara Fahnestock: For telling me not to share the book with anyone outside our family until it was done. That created a magic I hadn’t expected. For being my constant backboard for ideas. For being my every draft reader and my sanity-meter. None of this happens without you, my love.
Katie Bond and Amanda Rivera: For being such amazing champions of this story, and for letting me read the story to your second and fourth grade classes. The children’s feedback was integral to shaping the final draft.
Callie Brown: For offering to help me publish The Wishing World with your allowance. I was (and still am) moved.
Aaron Brown: For reading the story to your children and letting me know just how close the book was to being done.
Bess Cozby: For being this story’s champion at Tor, and for being such an amazing editor. You’ve spoiled me. It is a joy to work with you. Every area I love, you highlight. Every area I silently question, you somehow find and give the perfect advice to help me shape and polish it to a bright shine. You’re so talented, and I’m over the moon that this story gets to benefit from your expertise.
Alex Dailey: For knowing we had something with these characters before I even knew. When this story was just a few silly, slapped-together adventures told orally to children in the car as we drove to the hot springs in Carbondale, you turned a laser focus on me and said, “You should do something with that. The kids were captivated.”
Megan Foss: For being my always fan and always friend. I keep writing because of you and those like you who can’t wait for the next words.
Ellen Golliher: For being a great friend. Your enthusiasm for my writing cracked open the door to a bigger world. I’ll never forget it.
Bill Golliher: For taking a chance on a little story. You took this from an excited conversation with Ellen to the big leagues. Thank you for being this book’s champion.
Liana Holmberg: For being my early editor. For your unwavering belief in this story from the first moment you read it. You saw the diamond in the rough, and you were absolutely artful in bringing it into the light. Thank you for giving me no false praise so that when I heard the excitement in your voice when you said “You nailed it!” I knew the hard work had come to fruition. Thank you for everything. I cannot stress enough how you elevated this novel. You cultivated me, helped me evolve into the writer that this story needed.
Amelia Husbands: For your heartfelt joy after reading this story. And for presenting me with your handmade peanut butter cup and saying, “Thank you for writing my favorite book ever!” We’ll see you in the Wishing World.
Chris Mandeville: For all of the wonderful feedback and encouragement for this story. Writing group partners to the end!
Tami Miller and Andrea Diaz del Valle: Thank you for being early readers. Your enthusiasm for the story spurred me on.
Emily Sherwood: You were there when the final piece clicked into place. I couldn’t have made this story without you and the wonderful space you held for its creation.
Jim Swayze: For the many breakfasts. You helped me see what I needed to do and inspired me to do it. You helped this story fly. You have a knack for encouraging people to reach for the best inside themselves. Thank you for everything.
Carla Wirtz and Chris Lamson: For being Auntie Carrie and Uncle Jone. I am so grateful for your ongoing support of this journey.
The Clanping Children: And finally, my thanks to all the children at Clanping who listened in rapt attention as the sun was going down and it was time to go to bed. This story was made for you and every other little person who holds the boundless potential of childhood.
About the Author
TODD FAHNESTOCK won the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age Award for one of his short stories, and his self-published young adult novel, Fairmist, was a #1 Amazon.com bestseller. Stories are his passion, but Todd’s greatest accomplishment is his quirky, fun-loving family. The Wishing World began as a series of bedtime stories for his children. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE WISHING WORLD
Copyright © 2016 by Todd Fahnestock
All rights reserved.
Interior illustrations by Tricia Zimic
Cover lettering and design by Daniela Medina
<
br /> A Starscape Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-0-7653-8588-8 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-0-7653-8590-1 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9780765385901
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at [email protected].
First Edition: October 2016
The Wishing World Page 16