What would you do with your own personal genie? Author Mindy Klasky delves into that scenario in her latest paranormal chick-lit novel Not Not to Make a Wish, book one of her new series “As You Wish” from MIRA Books. Harlequin’s Paranormal Romance Blog certainly wishes you’ll read Mindy’s guest-blog today that’s all about–you guessed it–wishes! 
by Mindy Klasky, author of How Not to Make a Wish (MIRA Books, October 2009)
When I was a child, I practically lived at the public library. I clearly remember the great big room filled with children’s picture books. I would surround myself with brightly colored illustrated treasures, “reading” to myself, well before I could actually sound out the words on the page. One of my favorite books, read to me countless times by my impossibly patient parents, was a fairy tale about a fisherman who caught a magic fish that gave him three wishes. Thus, my fascination with genies was born.
Genie fairy tales often teach the moral lesson: “Be careful what you wish for.” Unwary wishers throw away their chances at future happiness, squandering their wishes on idle thoughts (“I wish you’d be quiet!”) or on meaningless details (“I wish there wasn’t so much salt in the soup!”) By the time I finished reading those childhood books, I knew to test each magical word – if I ever had the opportunity – against any possible misunderstanding, to measure each syllable against potential miscommunication.
When I started to write the As You Wish series, I wanted to go a little deeper than simple linguistics. I wanted to look at what happens when a person gets everything she wishes for. How does her life change? Are those changes good? Or are they bad?
Real women often have complicated lives. They want to succeed in their chosen professions. They want to experience meaningful relationships with their families, with their friends. They want to love and be loved.
Which aspects of those complex lives are worth spending precious magical currency to change? Sure, I’d love to lose a couple of pounds, but is that worth a wish? Absolutely, I’d love to have enough money that I never needed to worry about finances again, but is that my number one need, or two, or three?
When HOW NOT TO MAKE A WISH hit bookstores, I added a feature to my website, where I display the wishes of readers. (You can see the wishes at www.mindyklasky.com – each time you load any page on the site, a new wish appears.) I have been astonished by how many wishes are made to benefit others – children, siblings, other people in need. Perhaps reflecting our current political debate, the most frequent wish is for good health, in one way or another. A surprising – and touching – number of people wish for love.
I look at the wishes that readers submit, and I compare them to my characters’ wishes, throughout the As You Wish series. Some of my characters’ choices will immediately resonate, loud and clear with my readers. Others… well, you’ll have to understand the character to know why she wishes what she does!
How about you? What would you wish for, if you had one wish from a magical genie?
It’s always so hard to pick just one wish. When I was a kid, I decided I would wish for unlimited wishes for one week. That way, I would still have some limits on my wishes, but I wouldn’t have to worry about wasting my wishes.
Now, I think I would wish for a glimpse of what my life would be like if I hadn’t made a particular choice–once I assessed which choice had the better outcome, I could choose whether to reverse the choice or keep things the same. The tough part, of course, is picking which choice to review. Since I saw the movie Sliding Doors, I’ve been very interested in the idea of parallel lives based on specific choices.
Jen – I, too, was fascinated by the movie SLIDING DOORS – I felt like I had a few stories of my own to tell in that world!
I love your idea of being “self-policing” with wishes for extra wishes – it’s all too simple, if you can just have an infinite number of bites at the apple!
I wish for my child to be healty.
loretta canton
lbcanton@verizon.net
For my family to be financially well off, even for just a limited time. As in, so we can pay off the house and not have to worry about my diabetic dad having a job for maybe a year..
Loretta and Lou – Thanks so much for sharing your wishes. I’ve been so touched to see how many wishes involve best hopes for an ill relative…
Hi Mindy
Thank you for the great post.
If I had one wish, I would wish to be a trillionaire.
Are you on Twitter?
I’ve searched & searched but cannot find you.
All the best,
RKCharron
xoxo
A personal assistant to carry out all my needs and whims — it would be like having a permanent genie!
~Amy
RK – I’m not on Twitter (I have to have *some* time to write
) but I’m on FaceBook and LiveJournal. I hope to see you in either/both of those places!
Amy – an author friend just hired a personal assistant, and I lapsed into true out-and-out envy!
I’d wish for my kids and husband (and me, of couse) to stay healthy and for us to be able to keep our jobs and possibly get pay raises!!