First, a short bio on this character:
Wes Teague is a recent art school graduate living in Chicago. He waits tables while hoping to one day be a successful artist and wishing his life were a little less restricting—and a little more interesting.
That is, until his life gets flipped upside down. Discovering that your dreams are real (and that your actual life isn’t) will do that to a person.
Interview with Wes Teague
Q: How did you first meet your writer? Want to tell us about him/her?
Wes: I have never personally met Campbell, but I have a few ideas about what she’s like. I’ve heard rumors that she always wanted to go to art school, so I have a suspicion she’s living some sort of vicarious life through me. I also know for a fact that she loves Chicago and the Cloud Gate (you know, “the Bean”)—but I can’t really blame her on that one.
But the whole messing with reality thing—what’s that about? It might sound fun to rip someone away from what’s normal and throw them into some bizarre place full of strange worlds, but in my opinion, it’s a little malicious. As they say, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. And someone does get hurt—more than one someone. I just wish Campbell had thought what it would do to me. I’m the one living it, for Pete’s sake.
She just strews words across the page willy-nilly and I have to deal with things like getting beat up by some dude who looks like my brother (but isn’t), freefalling indefinitely with a psycho adrenaline junkie (who’s some version of my father), and trying to figure out what the heck I have to do to get Emily to say five words to me. Can you see why I’m not so keen on this Becca J. Campbell character?
Q: Did you ever think that your life would end up being in a book?
Wes: Gosh, no. And to tell you the truth, I wish it weren’t. How would you like it if your every mistake was broadcast for all to read? I’m just glad I managed to convince her to delete the chapter titles. I’ll let you in on a little secret. Chapter Ten was originally titled “Stalking is for Freaks.” The nerve!
Just to set the record straight, I was not stalking Emily. I was…concerned. I was just checking up on a friend—that was it. It’s not like I planned on following her. But uh…if you talk to Emily, I just happened to be there at the same time as her—that’s my story and I’m sticking with it.
Q: Did you have a hard time convincing your author to write any particular scenes for you?
Wes: No, actually, I’d say the opposite is true. She seems all too eager to share every embarrassing detail of my life, no matter how trivial. After all, who wants to relive a nasty breakup?
And does she really need to mention every time I fall on my face? I mean, you’d think I’m a complete klutz from reading the book. I promise, I’m really not that clumsy, but staying upright in a place run by chaos isn’t always easy. Have you ever tried to jump through a portal and land on your feet? Imagine doing that, but landing in the ocean, or on top of a sand dune, or in a world where the floor is moving. Believe me, you’d trip too.
Q: Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?
Wes: Well, there’s Andy. He’s a big dork most of the time, and a little girl crazy—okay, a lot girl crazy—but what can I say? We’ve been friends since high school and we get each other. So he’s pretty cool to hang around. That fedora, though. *shakes head* He’s a little overconfident if you ask me.
There’s my brother, Bill—or should I call him Brune? I honestly don’t know anymore. This Existence place is whack and Bill’s alter ego here is pretty messed up. He freaks me out and makes me actually appreciate the guy I always knew as my big brother—I know, crazy, right? Who’da thought I would miss the days of the noogies?
And then there’s Emily. I’m not sure what to call her, either. My girlfriend? Ex-girlfriend? Future girlfriend? That last one may only be in my dreams. I know what you’re thinking—pathetic, right? But if you think that, it’s because you don’t know the whole story. I’m not a desperate guy. She was all over me in the real wor…well, in the Logiverse. Seriously, she wouldn’t give me an inch of space to breathe. But now…well, things are different. This version of her doesn’t seem to know how much she used to dig me. It’s a little irritating, actually. Like she’s playing hard to get…but without the playing. And now I actually care. I always thought I wanted my space, but now I can’t get her out of my head.
Q: If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
Wes: If you’d asked me before I discovered that my dreams were real, my answer would have been different. Before all this happened, I would have said, “No responsibilities? Heck yes. Sign me up!” I probably would have spent the whole day lounging around in Millennium Park doodling in my sketchbook.
But now I’m not so sure I want complete freedom. Now that I know what living under a reign of chaos is like, I find myself longing for old routines like going to work, spending time with Emily, even those dreaded visits to my parents’ house. Life in this dream world—the Existence, they call it—is just trippy. Being here messes with your head. I keep trying to tell Andy that the Chicago skyline isn’t supposed to sway. But he doesn’t believe me.
Q: Describe the town where you live.
Wes: I live in the heart of Chicago in a tiny urban apartment not far from the “L.” Millennium Park is probably more my home though. That place, with all its sculptures, inspires me. It’s always been calming and somewhat therapeutic. That is, until I tripped into the Existence and discovered the real Millennium Park.
You can imagine my surprise when I first arrived and got whacked upside the head by a multiplying old woman. Felt like I was in some old Michael Keaton movie for a second. What with that and all the crazy black hole stuff happening at the Bean, I was a little freaked out. I’m still not sure what to think of this place where people come in and out of existence, inanimate objects have minds of their own, and we can create anything by merely thinking it.
Will you encourage your author to write a sequel?
I’ve heard rumors that Campbell is already planning a sequel. While I can’t imagine how I’ll be painted in that story, I’m grateful for one thing at least: I won’t be the main character—meaning I’ll get to keep my thoughts to myself for a change. I can only hope I don’t fall on my face so often.
Apparently, Emily gets the spotlight in the sequel. We’ll see how she likes being the center of attention. I have a feeling I’ll be one of the first to grab a copy. After all, what better way to really get inside of that woman’s head? Then I’ll know what my girlfriend is really thinking.
Enjoy the interview? Now read Gateway to Reality for yourself!