Willie Wish and the Magic Realm By Neale Payne

The Author’s Neale Payne

Book Cover

TOMAH, WISCONSIN, USA, August 24, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — Neale Payne’s gentle juvenile fantasy Willie Wish and the Magic Realm follows a thirteen-year-old boy who can see the supernatural world and who serves the magical beings that he encounters. Willie Wish is a small, sensitive boy who has a unique connection to the natural world. One night, Willie watches as his father, Evan, walks into the woods toward a mysterious light, returning a short time later with a mysterious package. This continues for several years.

On his thirteenth birthday, Willie decides to follow his father.

He finds Evan convening with fairies. Soon after, Evan confides to Willie that he has inherited the same ability to interact with magic realms invisible to the naked eye. If Willie accepts the gift, he must remain pure of heart and act in service to the realm as its official handyman; otherwise, he risks losing his memory of the supernatural connection.

The story is a unique coming-of-age morality tale on duty and selflessness packaged as a young readers’ adventure. It is told in a series of visually stimulating, interconnected anecdotes that have the simplicity, clarity, and excitement of a great read-aloud work. With its fairy-tale imagery, the story’s narration hooks and engages children’s imaginations from beginning to end. The story proceeds chronologically, following Willie from childhood into adolescence.

The story resonates with its strong environmentalist slant. Characters with questionable morality either abuse the natural world or greedily overindulge in its bounty. Willie, Evan, and the beings of the magic realm are portrayed as nature’s protectors through their fierce guardianship over animals and plant life. There are no major conflicts beyond those concerning nature.

Serving its purpose as a morality play that children can understand, the story portrays Willie, Evan, and the beings of the magic realm as full of innocence and innate goodness, adaptable to the environment and able to problem solve after “lessons learned” situations. Peripheral characters do not serve much of a function other than in setting Willie up as a positive, self-sacrificing role model.

The father-son bonding moments are exceptional. Evan and Willie show respect and devotion to each other in the story’s quieter moments of teaching and learning. Evan is a strong father who serves as both hero and mentor to his impressionable young son. Sentences are short and digestible, and language is tuned for young readers. Willie Wish and the Magic Realm is a beautifully imagined fairy tale with lasting moral values that aims to teach children responsibility and patience.

NANCY POWELL (March 30, 2018)

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The author of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the author will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc.

About the Author:

Neale Payne was born in Newcastle NSW, Australia in 1957. He attended two primary schools before the family moved to Sydney where he completed the rest of his schooling. Neale has 2 brothers and a sister his father was in the merchant navy and often away for long periods of time and his mother maintained the family home.

Both Neale’s parents shared wonderful stories of their own childhood, filled with imaginative tales of people and places. His father’s stories were centered around adventures into the bush along the coastline in NSW and features many observations of the wildlife. Neale and his brothers were encouraged to enjoy similar adventures in the natural bush and the creek close to their family home.

Neale has had several career paths, which began when he entered the army as an apprentice in 1974. This took him away from home and set him on his way across Australia to Perth. From here he returned to NSW married and had 2 sons. He set up his own business on the harbor repairing marine engines on small boats.

He has always been an avid swimmer, surfer and sailor. In recent years he lives on a sailing boat in the pristine waters near Sydney, surrounded by natural bushland. It is here that he finds his imagination flows and his stories grow. Neale draws upon many of his own experiences in his stories to captivate young readers of today.

Neale recently participated in a Prime Seven Media Spotlight interview with Logan Crawford and answered questions about his book, ‘Willie Wish and the Magic Realm’ (Logan Crawford TV Interview Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKmiw3SirIY And I would be happy to consult with any reader and can be reached on my website: https://nealepayne.com/

What inspired you to write this book?

When folks ask me about what inspires me, my thoughts naturally drift to my beloved grandchildren. They’re like this incredible driving force that propels my creative pursuits, infusing my work with a genuine sense of imagination and pure joy. Seeing their innocence, curiosity, and boundless excitement for life is like a powerful reminder of the beauty that lies in the simplest moments, and how essential it is to treasure each day. You know, it’s their laughter, the way their minds are always buzzing with questions, and the genuine love they radiate that truly sparks my creativity. It’s their influence that propels me to craft stories and experiences that capture the pure wonder of childhood and the enchantment of imagination.

My grandkids mean the world to me, and they’re not just my inspiration—they’re the core of who I am as a creator. I can’t express enough how deeply thankful I am for the role they play in shaping every step of my creative journey.

Anything you want to say for your readers?

Hope you take pleasure in witnessing the expressions of joy on your children’s faces.

If you are interested in buying his book, just visit amazon.com or you may click this link: https://www.amazon.com/Willie-Magic-Realm-Neale-Payne-ebook/dp/B084SPBM4L/ref

Luna Harrington
Prime Seven Media
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Willie Wish and the Magic Realm | Spotlight with Logan Crawford