Blythe Smart Publications

The Wizards of Wight

 

ISBN: 0-9545017-1-3     192 pages     size 178 x 110     £7.99     (2003)

Amazon Kindle (Revised Version)     $2.99     (2015)

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1. Cross Country and the Rubicon

2. The Riddle Unravels

3. The Great Wall of St. Pancras

4. Soccerundus and the Lottery Win

5. Through the Portal

6. Asmundr and the Abbey

7. Poets, Wizards and Cow Pats

8. Castles, Clues and Colleges

9. Spelling Lessons and Flying Dinners

10. Three Thimbles and the Wizards Stone

11. Pinafores and Broomsticks

12. Smugglers, Smelly Potions and Scams

13½. Farewells, Hellos and Departures

14. Solutions at the End of Term

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There was some degree of exertion involved in researching and writing The Wow Factor, thus for light relief The Wizards of Wight was written in a matter of weeks. The inspiration for this book is probably obvious, but it came from the great natural beauty of the Isle of Wight, and the interest in wizardry created by the prevalence and mania caused by Harry Potter (when he eclipsed The Worst Witch) at the time.

 

There were similar issues regarding the publishing of this book as the others, and the printers laid out the text too near the margin, which was criticised by book shops at a latter date. Indeed the spine on The Wow Factor came out back to front! Perhaps like a flawed stamp found at Stanley Gibbons this would one day increase its value.

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There was an opportunity to display artistic flair as the cover was by the author, whilst the story involved Cornwall Trembleweed and his girlfriend Rebecca who magically left the grimy London streets to travel across Wightland in search of a great treasure. On the way they met many wizards, learnt numerous spells many of which back-fired, and came across some interesting wizard-like characters from history. The denouement took place away from the magical island back in Temple church in London which clearly had other connotations. The details of the story are further explained on the adjacent back cover.

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Meanwhile the printers suggested that we increase our purchase from 500 to 1,000 books, since this would reduce the price per book, and increase our profits. Of course this relied on the fact all of them would be sold, but it is almost impossible to sell fiction by unknown authors. In the end the cost was £3,000 putting any profits well out of reach.

 

In reality the best market was on the Isle of Wight and several (hundred) were left over like the man and his garage. Fortunately being of a small size they didn’t take up too much room, and through some contacts in the missionary world, they finally went to the Logos II an Operation Mobilisation book ship. Indeed The Wizards of Wight may now be standard reading in Latin America sitting beside the Bible, and the author famous there like Norman Wisdom in Albania!

 

The style of writing and punctuation were improved for a new Kindle version in 2015, and like some Hollywood Movie on video or DVD, this contained a different and more satisfying ending than the paperback. For those who want to know the new ending it is essential reading.