Magician of Oz: November 2009

Magician of Oz Trilogy

Volume 1: Magician of Oz:

New characters and creatures abound in the old Land of Oz while many of the old characters we know and love make their own appearances in this newest tale of fantasy, adventure, truth and friendship in a familiar, yet not so familiar world of Oz.

There's the Leader of the Sycamores, the Gnarled Scrub Oak, the Flowering Plum Tree and the Council of Trees. All of these magical and strange characters prove quite the challenge for a young magician who finds himself in a strange and wonderful land.

Of course, we also get to meet Dorothy and Ozma, Glinda and the Tin Woodman, as well as Toto, Bungle the Glass Cat, Billina the Hen and numerous other beloved characters from L.Frank Baums' original tale of wonder and magic.

Volume 2: Shadow Demon of Oz

It was in the early month of Spring when the old humpback trunk of O.Z. Diggs, the original Wizard of Oz was opened by his great grandson, Jamie Diggs, revealing a magical heritage lurking within.
Following in the footsteps of his great grandfather, a young boy named Jamie pursued the ways of magic and soon found himself transported to the magical Land of Oz where, alongside Dorothy, he faced his greatest fears and the fearsome Army of Trees in defense of the Tin Woodman.
Now the young magician is called to return to the Land of Oz to take his place as the new Royal Magician of Princess Ozma; Ruler and Sovereign of Oz.
And for his first Royal Command, Princess Ozma sends her Royal Magician and his best friend Buddy off to battle the Evil Shadow Demon and save the Hyups of Mount Munch.

Volume 3: Family of Oz

It has been nearly 6 months since young Jamie Diggs returned from the Land of Oz with his best friend Buddy after defeating an ancient Evil while serving as Princess Ozma's new Royal Magician.
Now, he is called to return once more and take his rightful place alongside Her Majesty; Princess Ozma and Glinda; Good Witch and Ruler of the South Quadling Country, as well as Princess Dorothy.
Before the Royal Magician can return to Oz however, he finds himself on a fantastic journey down the Wabash River and a stop in Huntington, West Virginia for a taste of the legendary Stewart's Original Hot Dogs and Root Beer. Then it’s on to attend the annual gathering of their fellow magicians, known as the Magi-Fest and a tumultuous Close-Up Magic Competition. Soon, the Family Diggs, Hank and Buddy find themselves transported back to Oz by way of The Duke's Magic Box. The only problem they find is that each one of them now find themselves somewhere in Oz... but alone!
As the Family Diggs, Hank and Buddy journey along the roadways, riverways and even above the Land of Oz alone, each one struggles to discover what Love and family means to them and each learns along the way that Love and family have been with them all along. Aided by Her Majesty, the Queen of the Field Mice and Jamie's wayward, living decks of playing cards, as well as Buddy and the Cowardly Lion, the Royal Magician of Oz soon teaches Princess Ozma the true meaning of family and Love.
In a final and most fantastical battle alongside the Munchkin River, Jamie Diggs and his new army of friends battle Cobbler the Dog, a new and most mechanical pet of Tik-Tok, the Mechanical Army of Oz and an Unwilling Villain in an epic struggle of Good against Evil.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Another Auction Victory for The Wizard of Oz!

Once again, I found myself at our local auction barn purchasing odd stuff and nonsense, and once again, The Wizard of Oz pops up when I least expect it.

For those of you who are too young to remember, there was a time when music was played on albums. Large black (usually) discs of vinyl which were place on a turntable, rotated at 33 1/3rpms and a diamond needle placed on the rotating disc which would vibrate as the needle traveled through small grooves etched in the disc. This is how we listened to music back in the days of old, when I was young... You kids get off of my lawn!!!!

Archaic, ain't it?

And yet, there are some albums which I own that I would not trade for a cd at any cost.
I happen to own every Beatles album my parents ever bought and although the sound quality is nowhere near as good as a compact disc recording, they still have a feel to them that no cd could ever capture. The pops, scratches are hisses are all part of the listening experience and I still listen to them on a weekly basis.

Anyway, while sitting at our local auction barn, I happened across a box of albums, including some by Queen, KISS and others. After a couple of bids, I found myself the proud owner of this box of history and carried it out to the car for the trip home. Browsing through it briefly before returning to the sale, I found Princess Ozma's odd sense of humor at work once again.

The album is "Eldorado" and it was produced by ELO; a.k.a., Electric Light Orchestra. It contains some incredible songs and wonderful memories. One particular song, which received little radio play but which I happened to like a lot was Laredo Tornado.

I had the pleasure of seeing this band in 1977 and was blown away by the music and stage show. It was the first time I ever saw lasers in a concert. They played this song and it was amazing. Oddly enough though, this is the only reference to The Wizard of Oz whatsoever. I never have figured out why they chose the cover image shown above. Magician of Oz is perplexed!

Nonetheless, Princess Ozma has had her laugh and surprised me with a wonderful gift from the past of my youth.

James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Magician of Oz and the Cybil Awards!

Recently, I received notice from the Cybil Awards that my new children's book, Magician of Oz was nominated for a Cybil Award in the category of Fantasy/Science Fiction for Middle School Children.

http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/2009-nominations-fantasyscience-fiction.html

For those who are unaware or unknowing, the Cybil Awards are devoted to authors who write exclusively for children and young adults. There are 9 categories ranging from picture-books to young adult fiction and everything in between. This is a very prestigious award, especially given that nearly all the books nominated were done so by the very children reading them.

To say I am excited would be a major understatement. It never even occurred to me that Magician of Oz would be nominated for a literary award. I was happy just to get it out there for children to enjoy.

It seems they enjoy it very much, despite what some nitpicky Oz folks (and that is only a very select few... say 2-3) have to say.

Par Ardua Ad Alta!

James C. Wallace II
http://magicianofoz.blogspot.com/

Saturday, November 7, 2009

LCROSS and Magician of Oz... A Lunatic Prize!

For those who do not know me, I am many things. A father, husband, grandfather, scientist, educator, magician, author and Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma of Oz!

In addition, I am an astronomer. I have been for over 40 years. Mind you, not the backyard, once-a-year, only when its warm and only early in the evening type.

No....

I've paid my dues with over 2700 hours of eyepiece time, numerous published articles and observations, as well as a dedicated and proven track record in public astronomy and astrophotography.

I've ran observatories, planetariums, day-camps, single-day events, conferences and the like. Over the years, I've garnered a number of awards, honors, recognitions and other such trivia.

Now comes a unique honor that please me greatly.

The Lunar and Planetary Institute is an educational institution sponsored by NASA that promotes space education through outreach.
Their latest venture is a website dedicated to lunar stuff and such and is called MyMoon. It is a very impressive site.

The most recent project MyMoon decided to promote NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) program, which was intended to impact the Moon with both a significant mass object and a follow-up sensing satellite that would also impact the Moon, creating twin impacts sites on the Moon’s surface at the south pole. This was done in an attempt to detect traces of water vapor liberated from the impact.

Despite media disappointment at no visible plume from impacts, which came as no surprise to anyone who understands vector physics and lunar soil composition, much data was obtained and now undergoes detailed analysis.

Now my part comes into view...

MyMoon sponsored a contest to name the last words of LCROSS and my submission was voted number one (The Winner!) by public poll.

... and the winning phrase was: "I went to the Moon and all I got was this lousy crater!"

... and the crowd goes wild!!!!!

I was awarded a Moon Mini-globe for my efforts, which always pleases the lunatic in me.

Carpe Luna!!!!

James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma

Sunday, November 1, 2009

What is Ozzy? Is it the Banana Man?

My son did something very nice for me today. He downloaded onto my cel phone the theme music for the Captain Kangaroo show, which now plays every time I get a call. This makes me extremely happy as anyone who has read my interview in the Wizards Wireless forum of The Daily Ozmapolitan will know.

This got me to thinkin' (always a scary thought) about how I came to accept Oz as a real place.
Of course, my parents were a crucial part of this as they read to me often during my childhood and Oz was a central them in our readings. Captain Kangaroo was another influence... but, it was the Banana Man ( a character on the Captain Kangaroo show) that did the trick for me. How? Check out this video from Youtube and ponder...

Now, it's nearly 8 minutes long and as you watch it, no doubt you'll be asking yourself how can this nonsense be Ozzy when there is no mention of Oz. I submit to you that it is indeed Ozzy for the following reason.

It legitimizes the absurd... and Oz is, above all else, absurd!

Heresy! you say... and yet, the world of Oz is replete with absurdities upon absurdities. In fact, it is based entirely upon the premise of absurdity. After all, where in the Great Outside will you find living scarecrows, talking hens, a mechanical army of Oz, and so forth?

Watching the Banana Man and many other odd characters on this one show gave me the courage to accept the absurd as both real and attainable. Many years have I spent seeking out the absurd, only to find it standing tall before me at the Gates of the Emerald City.

And so I ask each of you the following question...

What absurdity in your life, not involving Oz, had the most impact on your choice to embrace the world of Oz?

And the one question I ask myself is... How did he get those watermelons in there?

James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma

Who is the Royal Liaison of Oz

My name is James C. Wallace II and I am the Royal Liaison of Oz.

I was born one day short of the 41st anniversary of the passing of Lyman Frank Baum, the kind gentleman who wrote The Wizard of Oz over a hundred years ago.

I grew up in a loving household where my parents read to me on a daily basis and taught me the joy of reading. Many a night I recall sitting in our front room as my mother would read from the many books of Oz and my father would act out some of the odd scenes pictured within.

As I grew up, my love for reading never diminished and my parents support for my love of reading never wavered. In addition, I was fortunate enough to encounter a number of mentors who would shape my view of the world and how I would find my way in it.

In particular was Captain Kangaroo, otherwise known as Bob Keeshan. His unique program was instrumental in shaping my mind towards the joy of learning.

Another was Clyde Crashcup, an odd cartoon character who inspired me to become a scientist and educator. Despite what many psychologists would have you believe, television did not rot my brain. In fact, my fondest memories of childhood were of Saturday mornings in front of the TV machine watching the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour and eating Captain Crunch with Crunchberries cereal.

Another mentor was a NASA scientist; Gene Shoemaker, who, by correspondence inspired me to be an astronomer. This was during the late 60's and early 70's when NASA was king of the hill, so to speak.

The most important mentor was my father, who inspired me to try everything and learn from those experiences. He got me involved in Toastmasters International and the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Those two organizations were directly responsible for much of my success as a public speaker and educator.

Fast forward to the mid-80's and my love of reading is now manifested in the lives of my 5 children as I read countless books to them, including the 14 books of Oz written by L. Frank Baum.

During this time, I am also completing my college education in Physics and running a public observatory teaching children about the night sky. This time is where the seeds of working for children's issues began for me.

Following my tenure at Indiana State University, I took a position as Planetarium Educator for The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

By the way, if I haven't mentioned it before, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is the finest children's museum anywhere in the world. If you've visited there, you'll certainly agree. If you haven't, please make the time to do so. You'll not be disappointed. Be sure to visit SpaceQuest Planetarium at the museum. It's the best part of the museum.

Anyway, during my time there, I made it a point to be a mentor to youth volunteers and thus found my calling. To impact the lives of children in a positive manner is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. It was during this period that I became involved with junior high school children in the inner city region of Indianapolis.

One day, while engaged in testing some educational software about Geography for 6th graders, I encountered quite a number of children who could not read, literally. It's one thing to suggest that there are kids in America who cannot read. It's quite another to come face-to-face with them.
I found myself at the end of the day sitting in my car in the parking lot shaking with remorse and resolving to do something about what I had just witnessed.
I then spent the next year in various teachers lounges having lunch with teachers and trying to understand how they could allow a child to go through school without mastering the art of reading.
Although some teachers cared deeply about their students, many cared only for their paycheck and thought little of the impact their negligence and disregard for the future of the next generation caused. This was reinforced by a school administration hamstrung by budget concerns and state-mandated test scores.

As a result, today's child has lost the art of reading. No longer do children sit down to read a book, to linger within the world of fiction and fantasy. Nowadays, kids are glued to the computer screen and read in snippets. In fact, with the advent of text messages, most kids now understand a truncated language that would have Daniel Webster spinning in his grave.

Only in the last few years has the Harry Potter effect taken hold and inspired kids to pick up the traditional book and immerse themselves in another world.
Despite this momentary reawakening, most kids still reach for the cel phone and communicate with their thumbs. Most kids would have trouble taking the time to sit down with a good book and giving themselves over to the realm of fantasy. They prefer the instant gratification that comes with a world overflowing with technology.

The book has become a lost art, and with that thought in mind, I chose to reinvigorate the original dream of L. Frank Baum.

In writing about young Jamie Diggs, the great grandson of O.Z. Diggs, the original Wizard of Oz, my most sincere desire is that children will pick up my book and rediscover the joy of reading.
If only a single child comes to understand and appreciate the joy of reading, then I have achieved my dream.
If, by writing about this wonderful land and all of its unique characters, I can inspire children and introduce them to the joy of reading, even if it be only a single child, I will have made an impact that reaches far beyond my own lifetime.

To this end, I have committed all my efforts towards creating an environment where kids will want to pick up that book and put aside that cel phone for a few moments. If I can serve as a mentor promoting Literacy to our youth, then I will have realized my dream.

The First Witches of Oz

Nomes of Oz

Even More Tails of Oz

Tails of Oz

The Emerald Slippers of Oz

Magician of Oz

Shadow Demon of Oz

Family of Oz

The Ozian Adventure of Pickleless & Blu

The Wonderful World of Oz

Followers

Magician of Oz Trilogy

The Royal Liaison of Oz

The Archives of Ozma's Royal Liaison

NanoWrimo 2014

NanoWrimo 2013

Nanowrimo 2012

Nanowrimo2011

Nanowrimo 2010

Nanowrimo 2009

Shadow of Oz 2015