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John Bolen is a novelist/playwright/actor living in Southern California. He has been published by Applause Theatre & Cinema Books (Hal Leonard Publishing), Indigo Rising, Scars Publications, The Write Place at the Write Time, OC180news, Eunoia Review and YouthPLAYS. John is the Producing Artistic Director of the New Voices Playwrights Theatre & Workshop.
John’s plays have been produced throughout the U.S. His play for a young audience, Aurelia’s Magic, (under its original title Dancing on a Grave), was produced by the Vanguard Theatre and Garden Grove Playhouse. Readers Theater Television produced Dancing on a Grave, and a radioplay adaptation was produced by Shoestring Radio Theatre and was broadcast on 111 other stations across the United States through the National Public Radio system. John’s short story collection Nothing for Christmas & Other Holiday Tales has just been released in a paperback edition.
As an actor, John has worked extensively in theatres throughout Southern California, although he is probably best remembered for his roles in the cult films Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus and The Call of Cthulhu. He has appeared in numerous feature films and TV shows. As a voice actor, John has recorded forty audiobooks.
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite
Aurelia first saw the man at her grandfather’s funeral. The little man had the audacity to dance a jig on her grandfather’s fresh grave. Seavus was a fairy that sometimes granted wishes. Fourteen year old Aurelia wished to be twenty-one. Seavus counseled her that the wish was not wise but finally agreed and granted her wish. Suddenly she was seven years older. Unfortunately, she had missed out the knowledge she would have gathered in those seven years. Wishes don’t always come out the way we want or expect.
I remember being a little girl, a mere six years old, and wishing I was at the magical age of ten. I thought if I could only be ten things would be perfect, but they weren’t. When I was ten I wanted to be thirteen but that age disappointed me too. Then sixteen seemed perfect and if not then eighteen would be or twenty-one would be perfect. Eventually I learned I was wishing my life away. Now at fifty seven, I wish I could be in my forties again, but retain the knowledge I have now. Aurelia learned a lesson the hard way.
"Aurelia’s Magic" is a delightful fairy tale. Author John Bolen demonstrates that he knows much about human nature. We want to rush through everything. We rush here and there and forget to stop and smell the roses, watch the sunsets and enjoy a child’s smile. It is only after we have missed out that we look back and long for the days gone by. Seamus and Aurelia are endearing characters. Colin was definitely evil. Danny was a much wiser person than his mother. Bolen is a master at characterization. The plot will thrill readers and the message of the plot is one we should all heed. This is the first book I have read by Bolen. I hope it won’t be the last.
