The Helmet of Joan of Arc (Will Wilder #3): According to legend, this helmet, which dates from 1375–1425, was given by St. Joan to the Church of St. Pierre du Martroi in Orléans, France. It hung over the main altar until it somehow came into the possession of the Metropolitan Museum in New York—where it resides today (when it is not at Peniel). For more information, visit: metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/21988
The Ark of the Covenant/St. Mary’s of Zion Church, Axum, Ethiopia (Will Wilder #2): The second Will Wilder book opens with a flashback to Axum, Ethiopia. Hundreds have written to me asking if there is any validity to the claim that the famed Ark of the Covenant is actually in Axum. I did extensive research on the region and St. Mary’s of Zion to make sure that the opening scene accurately reflected the original spot where the Ark would have been kept at the time Jacob Wilder visited Axum. The Ethiopian Christian community there claims that the Ark was brought from Jerusalem to Ethiopia by the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. According to Smithsonian magazine: “It arrived nearly 3,000 years ago, they say, and has been guarded by a succession of virgin monks who, once anointed, are forbidden to set foot outside the chapel grounds until they die.” Since no one is allowed to see the Ark, save for the Guardian, curious adventurers will have to settle for a view (through the fence) of the chapel where the monks say it is stored today. For more information, visit: smithsonianmag.com/travel/keepers-of-the-lost-ark-179998820/
The finger bone of St. Thomas (Will Wilder #1): The bones of Doubting Thomas can be found at the Basilica of St. Thomas the Apostle in Ortona, Italy (where the opening of the first Will Wilder book takes place), as well as at the San Thome Basilica in Chennai, India. Thomas was martyred in India, but most of his remains were transferred to Edessa in the fourth century. Hundreds of years later, most of his bones were moved to Ortona. But if you want to see his finger bone, it is on display at the Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem), which, despite the name, is a church in Rome. The story goes that Constantine’s mother, Helena, established the church in Rome with dirt she brought from Jerusalem. Thomas’s finger bone may have been housed in this church since the fourth century. (Perhaps the finger bone in Perilous Falls is one of the other nine digits of the saint.) For more information, visit: santacroceroma.it/en/features-3/reliquie.html
Monte Cassino Abbey (Will Wilder #3): This abbey is one of the oldest monasteries in the world, and Jacob Wilder’s base of operations during World War II. Founded in the sixth century by St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism, the abbey has been home to generations of Benedictine monks who continue to live and work within its walls. The crypt, library, and grounds described in this book are accurate descriptions of the monastery today. In 1944, the abbey was leveled by Allied forces who suspected that the Germans were housing artillery units and troops on the monastery property. Within a few decades, Monte Cassino was rebuilt where it stood prior to the bombing. For more information, visit: abbaziamontecassino.org/abbey/index.php/en/
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There are many more relics and sarcophagi, which appear in the series, that are housed in museums, churches, and libraries around the globe. For the time being, I’ll leave it to you to separate the real relics from the ones that I have reimagined for my own purposes. Happy hunting.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Will and I owe a great debt of gratitude to my wife and my rock—the lovely Rebecca—who makes this and all my stories possible. And to the three adventurers who started me down this path: Alexander, Lorenzo, and Mariella. Thank you for giving me a reason to return to the “dark wood” of the desk and to stay there until I understood the entire tale. I love you all.
To my friends and collaborators at Random House, I think we finally have this thing down. Special thanks to Emily Easton, my editor and publisher at Crown, who I believe may well be a Seer herself. She never fails to spot my missteps and lead me back to the path. My dear Phoebe Yeh and the brilliant Barbara Marcus, president of Random House Children’s Books, have made this house at Random a warm home for Will Wilder and me. I cherish you so.
Dominique Cimina and Mary McCue in publicity; John Adamo in marketing; Ken Crossland, our talented designer; Samantha Gentry, who kept every stage of production moving along; and the entire sales force have labored not only to create a beautiful book, but also to make sure Will’s latest adventure reaches readers. With the Random House team at my back, who needs an Amulet of Power? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Jeff Nentrup has topped himself with his latest Will Wilder cover. It is even more dynamic and fun than I imagined, and the interior illustrations make the story pop in unexpected ways. Thanks, Jeff.
Francis “Chip” Flaherty, my friend, consigliere, and agent on the entire Will Wilder series, has been a godsend. Three down…many more adventures to come. So grateful to have you on this ride, Chip.
For their inspiration and support, I must thank my friend and co-conspirator Laura Ingraham; Niko, Dima, and Maria Ingraham; Christopher Edwards; Jim Caviezel; Dean Koontz; Randall Wallace; Ron Hansen; Kyle Zimmer; Umberto Fedeli; Ryan Milligan; Monica and Kevin Fitzgibbons; Stephen Sheehy; James Faulkner; Cristina Kelly; Carla Turnage; Michael Paternostro; Mary Matalin; Msgr. Christopher Nalty; Terry and Kathleen White; and Pat Cipollone.
Special thanks to my EWTN family, especially Doug Keck, Michael Warsaw, Peter Gagnon, Lee South, Dorothy Radlicz, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, and the sisters of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery.
To my Fox News family: Thomas Firth, Alexis Papa, Elisa Cipollone, Robert Samuel, Nick Robertson, Andrew Conti, Kayvon Afshari, Tyla Tyus, Lauren Woodhull, Shannon Bream, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Meade Cooper, Amy Sohnen, Ron Mitchell, John Finley, and Suzanne Scott—it is a joy to collaborate with you all, seen and unseen.
Waves of gratitude to my parents, Raymond and Lynda Arroyo, and my brother Scott, who encouraged the madness early on with no assurance that a good story would emerge. Love you all.
To the kids, parents, teachers, librarians, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and all who have entered Perilous Falls, you are so appreciated. The older I get, the more I believe that a story is the most precious gift we can give a child—and each other. Thank you for making Will Wilder a part of your story.
I need to also thank all the students, reading specialists, teachers, librarians, and merely curious who have visited my reading initiative, Storyented.com. I founded it in 2015 to introduce readers to incredible authors and their stories. Nobody can excite a reader to open a book the way an author can. To all those who ventured to “find your story and find your way” via Storyented, thank you. I hope many others will join us there for compelling interviews and tips for getting reluctant readers to dive in.
Finally, I must thank Dublin, Ireland, for providing me with a crucial bit of inspiration for this series when I needed it most. During a visit in 2012, I learned that a relic had been stolen from the Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. The 800-year-old heart of St. Lawrence O’Toole, the patron saint of Dublin, had been snatched by thieves. My first thought when I learned of the theft was: Who would steal a relic, and why? Any reader of my series knows where that question led….I am happy to report that in the spring of 2018, the relic was recovered in a Dublin park and returned to the cathedral. In some ways that story reflects how this series has impacted me. I put my heart into the Will Wilder saga, and through many visits with and letters from readers, it has come back to me—fuller and better for having been embraced by you all. Thank you, my friends. There is much more to come.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Raymond Arroyo is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning producer, and Fox News contributor, as well as lead anchor and managing editor of EWTN News. As the host of The World Over Live, he is seen in nearly 300 million homes internationally each week. He is also the founder of Storyented, a large-scale literacy init
iative. When not in Perilous Falls, he can be found at home in New Orleans with his wife and three children.
RaymondArroyo.com
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Will Wilder #3 Page 21
