TRILOGY COMPLETE

Four years after the release of his first novel, author Joshua Patrick Dudley celebrates the release of the final installment in his Lost in Oz trilogy, Temple of the Deadly Desert.

The Lost in Oz trilogy follows modern-day teenagers who make their own history in Oz after destroying the original story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, simply by existing in it. The teens have made it safely home to New Hampshire, that is, except Joshua, who is lying in a coma, and another member of the team who has perished in the same tornado outbreak that once brought them to Oz. The group must again travel together to the Land of Oz and once and for all find a way to derail or fulfill their prophecy. They must unlock the secrets of the Temple of the Deadly Desert and find a way to cross the lethal sands surrounding it. Will the teens fulfill their prophecy? Does the Temple of the Deadly Desert exist? Can they bring a fallen friend back to life? All these questions and more will be answered in the third and final installment of the Lost in Oz trilogy: Temple of the Deadly Desert. Famous and beloved Oz characters are also in abundance and include Dorothy Gale, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman, Lion, Glinda, Princess Ozma, The Wizard of Oz, Jack Pumpkinhead, Scraps – The Patchwork Girl of Oz, and, of course, the Wicked Witch of the West.

After directing two amateur films, Dudley says that he was excited to return to writing. “I really put a lot of focus into developing the characters and trying to make them into relatable people that my audience can enjoy reading about. My first two novels were more about the story of these kids and not about the kids themselves. The third book presents a lot of new ideas in exciting ways and is very self-analytical. The characters deconstruct themselves and the story they created as they continue on their journey, discovering why it is important to preserve the stories of Oz the way they were meant to be.”

Temple of the Deadly Desert will hit bookstores and online retailers next month and can currently be purchased on the books’ official website www.LostinOzBook.com and on www.lulu.com.

Dudley lives and writes in Manchester, New Hampshire, which is where he grew up. He has loved Oz since he was a child and has spent the last four years traveling the country promoting his work and his passion for Oz. He also appears in middle school classrooms to discuss his novels, the writing and publishing process, and teaches creative writing workshops with children in grades 3-7.

Lost in Oz
by Joshua Patrick Dudley, 2007, Lulu Publishing, 155p, ISBN: 978-1-4303-1278-9
Lost in Oz: Rise of the Dark Wizard
by Joshua Patrick Dudley, 2008, Lulu Publishing, 203p, ISBN: 978-0-615-18871-3
Lost in Oz: Temple of the Deadly Desert
by Joshua Patrick Dudley, 2011, Lulu Publishing, 284p

Emeralds: Hearts in Oz: Review of Lost in Oz

Emeralds: Hearts in Oz, an Oz Blog, has put up a review of Lost in Oz! Check it out at:

http://emeraldsoz.blogspot.com/2010/04/book-review-lost-in-oz.html

Wicked Witch Test Art

Here's one more special look at the Lost in Oz Comic Series Art, drawn by Benjamin Kissell. This photo is a the four different versions we tested of Bastinda, The Wicked Witch of the West, including the final version!

Lost in Oz in New York!

NewHampshire.com has published a great article about Joshua's upcoming appearances in New York!

You can check it out here:
http://cs.newhampshire.com/blogs/granite_state_stuff/archive/2010/04/05/Lost-in-Oz-in-New-York_2100_.aspx

Lost in Oz on "That Guy with the Glasses"

A blog, entitled, That Guy with the Glasses, posted an article about Dorothy from Oz and Alice from Wonderland, encountering one another. Lost in Oz got mentioned in the article! Check it out!

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/community/blog/19070

Nashua Telegraph Article

Nashua man shares his passion for the Land of Oz in a series of books
By DARRELL HALEN Telegraph Correspondent



When he was a young boy, Joshua Patrick Dudley fell in love with "The Wizard of Oz" and yearned to travel to the story's magical land.

So he did – in his imagination. Now, the Nashua author is sharing the second story of his "journey" in the Land of Oz.

"Lost in Oz: Rise of the Dark Wizard," the second installment of Dudley's twist on the classic Oz stories, recently became available at online bookstores. It continues the saga of four teenagers who stumbled upon their own journey down the yellow brick road.

• "I'm not in this for monetary gain at all," said Dudley, 22. "It's just spreading my love of Oz, spreading my interpretation of it."

Dudley's obsession with the story started early. When he was about 3, he fell in love with the classic 1939 film starring Judy Garland when he watched it for the first time.

He would watch the film again "thousands of times," he said, wearing out several copies of the movie.

"It was a completely different place for me, to see different colors and Munchkins and the Yellow Brick Road and crazy things like that," recalled Dudley, who was also heavily influenced by reading L. Frank Baum's Oz books. "Stuff kids dream about. It was awesome."


Dudley's stories are written in the first person. Joshua is joined on his journey in the Land of Oz by his twin sister, Tamara, his best friend, Tommy, and his friend, Laura.

In Dudley's first book, "Lost in Oz," the teens' presence in the land has altered the original story and they must deal with the consequences.

In his sequel, the group searches for Glinda's Great Book of Records, which keeps track of everything that happened in Oz, to erase that they had been there. Meanwhile, the Dark Wizard wants to steal the book so he can put into motion evil plots of destruction.

Dudley grew up in Hooksett and was heavily influenced artistically by his mother, Laurel Levesque, a teacher. He graduated from Manchester Central High School in 2004, and earned a degree in musical theater from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.

Dudley designed his own book covers and also drew the pictures in his second novel. His love for Baum's stories isn't confined to his writing – his bedroom is filled with Oz collectibles and memorabilia and he has performed in four theater productions of "The Wizard of Oz."


Dudley, whose book tours take him to Oz festivals, book fairs, middle schools and book signings, has heard from kids as young as 5 who enjoyed reading his first novel with their parents, as well as longtime Oz lovers in their 60s who like his fresh twist on the classic story.

"The Wizard of Oz," a perennial classic with its engaging story, lovable music and technical artistry, was a ratings hit when it first aired on television in 1956.

"The basic Baum story is so well known, it's one of the few things that hasn't gone out of style," said John Fricke, a Manhattan-based writer and producer who has chronicled Judy Garland's career and the appeal of Oz. "It's a real pop culture phenomenon that shows no sign of fading."

It's a film that kids fall in love with immediately, Fricke said. They relate to Dorothy's love for her dog, Toto, and the Kansas farm girl's desire to travel to a better place.

"I think everyone wants to find that place – just like in the song 'Over the Rainbow' – where they feel completely comfortable with themselves," added Dudley, who plans to write a third installment. "Oz is for, has always been and always will be about the kids. You get sucked in when you're a kid. You love this fantasy world so much you want nothing more than to be a part of this world, and it just stays with you for life. The characters are relatable. You feel for Dorothy during her entire journey."

Nowadays, the Baum books – he wrote 13 sequels to "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" – appeal primarily to kids younger than 12, said Fricke. Dudley's books are geared to older readers, especially middle school students and teenagers, he said.

"I think he found an untapped audience with his first book," said Fricke, who met Dudley at an Oz festival in Lancaster, N.Y., where the young author was promoting his first book. "He's been an entertainer, so he's good with the public. He's very personable. He has that youthful energy that's so much like Oz."

Click here to read the article on NashuaTelegraph.com

Daily Ozmapolitan

Lost in Oz has made yet another appearance on the Daily Ozmapolitan news feed!

8/26/07 - Sequel Announced: Lost In Oz: Rise of the Dark Wizard
“There is a rule that says no one dies in the Land of Oz, but rules are made to be broken. It's time for Oz to be reborn.”

Click on the title to visit the Daily Ozmapolitan!

Sequel Announced: Lost In Oz: Rise of the Dark Wizard

August 27, 2007 – “Lost In Oz,” a new novel by Joshua Patrick Dudley, examines what happens when the classic stories are given a modern twist. The exciting novel follows twins Joshua and Tamara and their two friends, Laura and Tommy,” down the ever-famous yellow brick road.

The group of four only finds trouble on their way home when they discover that because of their arrival, Oz has been changed forever. Not knowing where to turn, they realize they are lost in the magical land.

Originally conceived by L. Frank Baum in 1899, the Land of Oz and its inhabitants have served as entertainment for millions of families all over the world for over a hundred years. In the late 80’s, a “sort-of” sequel to the 1939 MGM Classic "The Wizard of Oz," called "Return to Oz," was released. Audiences did not receive it well and wondered what happened to the whimsical score and happy dancing.

“People don’t realize that a lot of dark things happen in the Land of Oz,” Mr. Dudley informs us. “There is a rule that says no one dies in the Land of Oz, but rules are made to be broken. It's time for Oz to be reborn.”

Mr. Dudley insists that his book isn’t scary for children. “There isn’t any death in the first book, but eventually it’s something we all have to deal with,” he states. “There is so much to do with the stories of Oz; I don’t feel the saga will ever be over.”

Since its release, the modern twist on Oz by Joshua has sold 85,000 copies (sales generated mostly by live appearances and Oz festivals) and is still climbing the charts, something that excites his management team. “Joshua has done a tremendous job and is overwhelmingly happy with the results,” Tim King, head of management congratulated his client. “He’s working on the sequel, but it’s very hush-hush. No one has heard much about it yet. Not even me.”

The sequel, “Lost In Oz: Rise of the Dark Wizard” is due out March 13th of next year (we’ve included the promo art) and will follow the group of friends back to Oz in search of Glinda’s Great Book of records, unfortunately the new power in Oz, the Dark Wizard, is also searching for the book. Until the sequels release Mr. Dudley is keeping busy. He will be appearing at the Indiana Oz Festival, the biggest Oz festival in the world, in the early September.

For more information on Lost In Oz, please visit www.LostInOzBook.com

Media Contacts:

Mindy Fabiano, Publicist
press@joshuapatrickdudley.com

Tim King, Management
management@joshuapatrickdudley.com

Old Story, New Twists

America’s first Fairy Tale, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” gets a makeover.

August 19, 2007 – “Lost In Oz,” a new novel by Joshua Patrick Dudley, examines what happens when the classic stories are given a modern twist. The exciting novel follows twins Joshua and Tamara and their two friends, Laura and Tommy,” down the ever-famous yellow brick road.

The group of four only finds trouble on their way home when they discover that because of their arrival, Oz has been changed forever. Not knowing where to turn, they realize they are lost in the magical land.

Originally conceived by L. Frank Baum in 1899, the Land of Oz and its inhabitants have served as entertainment for millions of families all over the world for over a hundred years. In the late 80’s, a “sort-of” sequel to the 1939 MGM Classic "The Wizard of Oz," called "Return to Oz," was released. Audiences did not receive it well and wondered what happened to the whimsical score and happy dancing.

“People don’t realize that a lot of dark things happen in the Land of Oz,” Mr. Dudley informs us. “There is a rule that says no one dies in the Land of Oz, but rules are made to be broken. It's time for Oz to be reborn.”

Mr. Dudley insists that his book isn’t scary for children. “There isn’t any death in the first book, but eventually it’s something we all have to deal with,” he states. “There is so much to do with the stories of Oz; I don’t feel the saga will ever be over.”

Since its release, the modern twist on Oz by Joshua has sold almost 85,000 copies, sales generated mostly at Oz festivals, and is still climbing the charts, something that excites his management team. “Joshua has done a tremendous job and is overwhelmingly happy with the results,” Tim King, head of management congratulated his client. “He’s working on the sequel, but it’s very hush-hush. No one has heard much about it yet. Not even me.”

The sequel is due out in March of next year, but until then Mr. Dudley is keeping busy. He will be appearing at the Indiana Oz Festival, the biggest Oz festival in the world, in the early September.

For more information on Lost In Oz, please visit www.LostInOzBook.com

Media Contacts:
Mindy Fabiano, Publicist
press@joshuapatrickdudley.com

Tim King, Management
management@joshuapatrickdudley.com

Royal Blog of Oz Reviews #27 of Returning to Oz

By Jared Davis

Hey! Turns out there's another episode of Aaron Pacentine's Returning to Oz up. In this almost half-hour episode, Aaron interviews Joshua Patrick Dudley, author of the book Lost in Oz.

In this episode, Aaron gives Joshua a very solid interview, asking him about how he writes his stories, what's coming up, and Joshua as a person.

Joshua reveals some very interesting items about Lost in Oz, but I'd suggest you listen to the episode to hear what they are, or keep an eye on the official Lost in Oz website.

This episode doesn't have much on the many incarnations of Oz as heard in previous episodes, BUT this is not a problem at all. It sticks to a main focus and continues from there, so it's a very strong episode in itself.

Another thing I noted right away is that the sound quality has improved over past episodes. Yes, you may want to turn up your volume a bit, but it's very good nonetheless.

Once again, it's an episode worth the listening!

(And no, I'm not saying nice things just because Aaron is also the current host of The Wonders of Oz. I really enjoyed the episode.)

NewHampshire.com Talks About Lost In Oz

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE! You will be redirected to NewHampshire.com