Local Author takes Readers
on a Fantastical Adventure
Summer is ending and with it summer reading ends. Brew up a pumpkin spiced latte and enjoy the cooler air with some fall reading! We’re highlighting a different author from the Eastern Shore every month in the Shore Update’s Book Club! This month we’re featuring Aggie L. Jae’s The Water Door. In The Water Door two young brothers discover a portal to the strange world of Tetherae. Filled with strange creatures and mythical castles, Tetherae provides the brothers with a fantastical and harrowing adventure. I had the chance to talk to Aggie about what inspired this story, turning The Water Door into a movie and more!
The concept for The Water Door first came to Aggie in high school in the 70’s and she jotted ideas down in her notes. Throughout the years she would have new ideas for the book… as she worked a variety of careers like serving in the Navy, modeling, childbirth educator and restaurant owner. In 2013, Aggie lost her daughter to opiate addiction, leaving behind two sons. Aggie was searching in her attic shortly after her daughter’s passing, when she discovered her notes for The Water Door. She decided she would finally write the book after its inception over forty years ago; and she would dedicate the book to her two grandsons.
Aggie has big plans for the future of the magical world she created. She met with filmmakers and producers about a potential film adaptation of The Water Door. Aggie believes that the movie could be made right here in Maryland. The Water Door 2: The Secret of the Anakim Ruby is scheduled to come out early next year with a third installment planned for 2026. Aggie gave me a sneak peek into the events in her next book. While I swore not to spoil the book for other readers, I can tell you that many secrets and mysteries about Aggie’s fantastical world will be revealed!
It would take eight years to finish The Water Door after re-starting it. When Aggie owned a restaurant, a young artist named Abraxas Hudson put on art shows. When it came time to create a front cover for the book, she had Abraxas paint a fantastical picture of the boys entering The Water Door.
I asked Aggie if she had advice for other aspiring writers. She said “Just do it! Everybody told me that I couldn’t do it… so I did!” Aggie excitedly told me, “Why would anyone tell me that? There isn’t anything I can’t do!” You can learn more about Aggie or purchase a copy of The Water Door at her website: https://thewaterdoor.com/.