What if wishes you made turned out wrong, and you didn’t even know it? What if one of those bad wishes is about to ruin your life? Well then, you better make an appointment with the Wish Doctor.
On December 12th, Dartmouth Book Exchange had the privilege of hosting The Wish Doctor aka Mark E. Shupe. The evening was a resounding success and we are looking forward to hosting him once again when book 2 is released. For those of you who do not know who The Wish Doctor is, please read on. While supplies last, we have signed copies of his book, and authentic ‘wish stones’ that have been infused with protection by The Wish Doctor himself. Just make a good wish, remember to speak clearly, work hard, be patient and someday your wish will come true, though maybe in a good way you never expected.
“Wishes on stars are maybe the most powerful. If you really need a wish to come true, wish on a star. Just be careful. They can also cause the most problems if they go wrong.”
― Mark E. Shupe, The Wish Doctor
Have you ever wished and wished and wished for something only to have your wish backfire? If you have then you may have met the Wish Doctor, wearing his tweed jacket, glancing at his wish watch, arriving to fix your wishtake. The Wish Doctor has been fixing wishtakes for many, many years and would like to retire, but to do so he needs to find someone to replace him. At the Lodge of Wonders in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, a new group of clever, carefully selected students are all set to start their training, and maybe, just maybe there will be a capable candidate in this batch willing to replace him.
The first in a fun, fantastical debut series by Mark E. Shupe, The Wish Doctor introduces us to a class of talented students and a magical bear named Ron who are starting at the School of Wish where the knowledge of palindromes, Morse code, sign language, and the ability to speak backward are just as important if not more important than math and science. We are also introduced to a previous occupant of the Lodge, and a dear friend of the fine Doctor who assists the Doctor’s work with helpful inventions. As the story progresses, we learn right alongside the students about the types of wishes, wish mistakes, wish reversals, how to make a better wish, and even the importance of speaking clearly or checking your spelling when writing a wish. The students go on a variety of field trips, some of which beautifully showcase features and key aspects of the Maritimes.
The Wish Doctor is chock full of witty puns which I’m sure will have you either chuckling or groaning out loud when you read them. He also introduces us to fun and magical foods and drinks, magical devices, and the dangers of birthdays. Using my intuwishin this story, suitable for ages 10 to 100, would make a great family read-aloud, creating lots of fun discussions (even in adult book clubs), and is a brilliant foundation for a wonderful series, with each installment anticipated and I’m sure, celebrated when it’s released.
-review by Sue Slade first published January 1st, 2024 in The Miramichi Reader https://miramichireader.ca/
WISHkey
According to the Wish Doctor, Wishkey is a non-alcoholic drink that tastes different for each person. It looks like the colour amber but it’s actually the colour of moonlight. Wishkey should be technically served in different-sized cups. The older, you are the smaller the glass. If you are very old, you should only have a thimble of Wishkey. The reason is as you grow older, your wishes tend to grow bitterer, and having too much Wishkey may lead you to make wishes for revenge, or for selfish purposes rather than the noble purposes of youth when all wishes seem possible.
“All magic is wishes,” he said. “Magic is simply the desire to accomplish things without making the natural effort. In other words, wishing for something to happen instead of doing it. It is a truism that all things that can be wished can be made to happen, even the impossible.”
― Mark E. Shupe, The Wish Doctor
Praise for The Wish Doctor: It was like Doctor Who meets Monty Python meets Dad Jokes Central all wrapped up in Shuperness. This is the biggest collection of really cool Dad jokes and incredible puns I’ve experienced since weekends with Granddad. The author may very well be the master of the literary cliffhanger. Goodreads January 2024- TL Parry-Sands
For more on the School of Wish, follow Friends of the Wish Doctor on Facebook and follow Mark Shupe’s antics on the web at adventuresofshuperman.com email: friendsofthewishdoctor@gmail.com
