A Story of a Different Time and Place
/
The following is Philip Mazza’s introduction to Children at the Gate, the last installment of The Harrow Saga, scheduled for publication March 2022.
The End
Back in 2004, one day I decided to sit in front of my computer monitor, and on my keyboard type a sentence: This is a story of a different time.
I liked how the short sentence sounded. It seemed to fit a story idea I had. It would be a story of a different place and time, a story of a long journey and of coming of age. With no idea and no publisher, I ventured forward on a journey over the next ten years.
Soon I learned this: such a journey is all about the words.
It was a strange journey, like traveling to a strange place. The world was different from the world I lived in, with a very different landscape, climate, and people. And there were creatures, some sweet and others horrible, and animals who could talk and had varied belief systems.
I traveled this world to find myself, and to find the story I felt I needed to tell. I traveled to forests and marshes, to cities and villages, and the wilds of the sea and sky. I rode grand horses and took flight upon a dragon. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was embarking on a journey of discovery, of learning who I was and what I was meant to do.
I didn’t have an outline, mind you, All I had was a few characters and a rudimentary plot. At first, I would write a chapter, perhaps introduce a new character or two, a sub-plot here and there, and then, I would think of the next chapter and what would happen. You can take hundreds of courses on writing fiction, and read hundreds of books on the topic, and none would tell you this is how you go about writing a novel.
But strangely, I was having fun, great fun, writing for an audience of one – me.
Ten years later that story, From Under a Tree, was published. It would be the first of three stories about the fictional world I had created, known as the Harrow.
As I worked on the second installment, I was asked to provide additional information on this strange world. A special edition version of the first book was planned. Of course, for me, this was a setback of sorts, as I had no choice but to delay the second book. I worked on several appendices to be added as part of the special edition, and before going to print, it was decided that the special edition would also include elements of my original text. I was thrilled with this.
At last, in December 2017, the special edition of From Under a Tree was published, three years after the book’s initial publication, and the second book, Shadow in the Flame, was on track and was published November 2020.
By this time everything had changed for me. With Shadow in the Flame, and at the urging of many, I developed a system for outlining my fiction. It helped to keep me on track and provided an opportunity to develop the characters and the world in more detail. I found that I could write much better if I immersed myself in the world I was creating, as opposed to keeping my focus on a particular incident or conversation. It also meant that I was able to include more description and background, which was something I’d always wanted to try but hadn’t known how to go about it. I remember thinking that this was the first time I’d understood what other writers meant when they talked about being ‘in character’.
Now, here we are, some eighteen years after I started my journey with From Under a Tree. In your hands rests the last installment of the story, Children at the Gate. I enjoyed writing this book. It brought me a lot of joy, and as I completed each chapter, I felt a sense of achievement. I am especially pleased with the way the story unfolded. I didn’t expect to end up in the place I did in the end, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed writing it so much. I think the reader will enjoy finding out where I end up, too, as it’s a satisfying conclusion.
But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much change entered my life over the eighteen years while writing The Harrow Saga. I lost my parents, retired early, lost two furry friends, and decided to devote time to my writing and teaching. During this time, I became more acquainted with death and came to value everything about my life more. The changes in my life were not overly dramatic, I suppose – we all go through them at some stage – but they were profound and deeply meaningful. Some might call them the adventures of an aging man, but I prefer to think of them as the journey of a lifetime.
The Harrow Saga was a time of immense personal growth for me, which I wouldn’t trade for anything. I still remember the exact moment I knew I would be writing the series. I realized then as I do now, that this was a story I was meant to write. This wasn’t just any story; it was my story too, of what was happening to me, of what was happening to others. I had to tell it.
Tolkien and Allegory
Some have asked about the meaning of The Harrow Saga. They’ve asked, as is customary with epic fantasy if the tale is an allegory. This is such a burning question many readers ask. I know when Tolkien faced the same question, he said his story was not an allegory nor a prophecy but a re-imagining of history, and he often said that to those who knew little of the story and its history. He would say that it was a story of a man who had been to Middle-earth, and that he had brought backstories and legends and tales and songs and poems and history and many other things to them, and that they did not know that this was so because it was new to them. And they did not know that they had been listening all their lives to the songs and tales and history and legends of the Elder Days, which were now made new again. And they would have the same feeling about this, that he was telling them about a journey, a long and adventuresome journey.
For me, the answer as to whether The Harrow Saga is an allegory is simple: there is no hidden meaning, and it is not a story of good versus evil, rather, it is a study of good and evil, and the ways that they interact.
But, at a human level, it is more. It is the story of how a person grows and learns, and how people learn to depend on each other, to get through some rough times. It is the story of how they became inseparable, of how they helped each other to grow and learn and become the people they were meant to be. It is the story of loyalty and friendship, of joy and sorrow, of learning to look beyond the surface and to the heart, of learning that the journey is all that ever matters. It is the story of how a person finds their voice and makes their mark on the world.
Many have asked if I will write additional stories on The Harrow. The answer is no. My goal was to share the journey with as many people as possible, and I’ve accomplished that. I’m now going to focus my efforts on other stories. There’s so much more to say; I look forward to having others listen.
My readers have been a wonderful audience, and I appreciate the opportunity to share my writing with them. I hope to continue to provide a unique experience for them, and I hope they enjoy the rest of the journey as much as they enjoyed this part of it.
Go, my words, over the page, and bring the journey to others.
With gratitude.
Here are some helpful links:
How to Write a Novel
How to Write a Novel - A 12-Step Guide
10 Rules for Writing a Good Novel
