My love of storytelling traces back to my step-mother, who spun wonderful fantasy stories when I was child. I finished my first novel at sixteen. That first attempt was terrible, but taught me quite a bit about story construction. Though I would start numerous other projects in the following years, I wouldn't actually complete another book for another 21 years. I wasn't idle in that time, though. I earned a degree in engineering, married the love of my life, worked as a semi-truck driver crisscrossing the country, moved from Texas to North Dakota and then came back home. It's been a fun and interesting journey. I really enjoy engineering, but writing was my first passion, and I'm excited to share it with you. I currently live in West Texas with my wife and our two adorable (but weird) cats.
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No one knows how human genetics evolved to create Mirrors. No one knows how the evidence of a criminal’s last horrendous act can be confirmed in a single gaze of a child’ssilvered eyes. But just because science can’t explain something doesn’t mean it can’t be used, and this gift is simply too valuable to ignore.
Twins Thomas and Ashley Ross have grown up knowing they would be used as Mirrors for the “good” of humanity. When their powers mature at age twelve, they are taken weekly to fulfill their role. By reliving the most heinous crimes from a perpetrators’ perspective, they alone can assure that no innocent people will be executed, and that the worst offenders are not set free due to lack of evidence.
Justice is not without cost, however. Taking on the memories of others is a destructive process, one that quickly consumes the children involved until most take their own lives. As despair threatens to drown Thomas and Ashley, a distant hope keeps them from succumbing: If they can make it to their eighteenth birthday, their contract with the government will be fulfilled. Changing views on the morality of their role threatens to tear them apart, but the twins struggle to cling to each other and try to construct a fragile life above the weekly flood of horrors.
As their work takes it toll, however, a new question emerges: does survival even matter when you’re already broken beyond repair?
~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Wiley A Haydon III~
1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?
This story got its start way back in 2001. I was a student at a Christian college, and a number of my instructors were preachers at local congregations. When the September 11th attacks happened, almost all of these preachers took off to go be at their churches. There were plenty of hurting and confused people, and they felt it was their duty to answer those questions as best they could in the midst of the chaos. One, however, chose to teach his class. Despite the constant TV coverage and national horror, he ultimately treated the events as if nothing had changed, and was somewhat dismissive of those who had chosen not to teach. It felt like a particularly tone-deaf response, and it bothered me. I wondered if he would have the same reaction if he could see his actions from someone else's perspective.
That was the spark. I started to dig into that idea, and quickly realized that most people would find such an experience unsettling. We all make selfish decisions, and we all lie to ourselves about why we do things. That idea expanded to include Mirrors: children who could show us who we truly are by taking on our memories. What started as a random thought experiment began to consume me. I had so many questions about this interaction, and I was convinced that others would be also intrigued. I decided to write a short story. As my "What if?" questions took me deeper, though, I realized I needed a full-length novel to address it properly.
2) Are there any hidden themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?
There are a couple of themes that are more obvious, but the one that is in the background throughout the novel is the power of empathy. Being able to share your burdens with someone who understands what you are experiencing is an incredible comfort. There's not always words to really convey how we feel, or that can really comfort someone in tragic situations. I've found that an honest "I understand" in that despair is more powerful than a host of platitudes.
3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?
All of the characters have bits and pieces that I assembled from people I know, but most of them are changed enough that you can't see any one person in them. The relationship between my protagonists, Thomas and Ashley, however, was very heavily influenced by my relationship with my sister as we were growing up. She was always the optimistic, friendly one, and I was the grumpy, brooding, pessimist. Despite the differences, we were best friends and did pretty much everything together. I would say that anyone who knew us as kids would immediately see the similarities.
4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?
I fell in love with writing as a teenager, but ended up getting a degree in engineering instead of pursuing something in the arts. For better or worse, that means I've had very little formal training in creative writing. I learned the techniques of good writing by reading, and I paid particular attention to the writers whose work I enjoyed. As I've been a fantasy buff since middle school, some of the names on that list are Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, and Brandon Sanderson. In recent years, my wife has been my biggest influence. She's an avid reader and isn't afraid to tell me when something in the story just isn't working.
5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, and what would you serve, and why?
Hmm. I'm a shy introvert, so the thought of having three people I don't really know over to my house is kind of terrifying. Also, as I mentioned, much of my reading is in the fantasy genre; I think gathering a bunch of spellcasters together to play some competitive games is probably a terrible plan. I think some of the villains would be the most interesting to talk to, but I'm not exactly going to have Sauron over for a cup of coffee, either. Ultimately, I think I'd choose Sam Gamgee from Lord of the Rings (I've always loved his loyalty and determination), Dalinar Kholin of Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series (I have a soft spot for heroic leaders), and the Ghost of Christmas Present from Dickens' Christmas Carol (you can't tell me he wouldn't be a ton of fun.) With that group, I think something cooperative is best, perhaps one of the Pandemic Legacy seasons. We'll let the spirit of Christmas Present cater. I'll bet he'd love that.
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