Pandemic chaos plus working full time finally got the better of me. For a while I had to choose between writing and updating my blog, and well, that’s an easy choice.

So, what’ve I gotten done this year?

In January, I finished a new draft of The Magicians on Anise Street. It ended up at 56,000 words and 19 chapters. This is substantially longer than the previous draft, which was only 51,000 words and 15 chapters.

The previous draft was also essentially ‘complete’… But it wasn’t as good. This was reflected by a lack of interest from agents. For the latest draft, I had wonderful betas whose feedback helped me punch up the drama, zero in on the coolest moments, and lean into exploring the fantastical elements of the world. I also viciously bisected chapters that featured more than one scene so each could be held separate and expanded on. The chapters in the old draft were definitely on the long side for middle grade; now they’re a much more reasonable length.

Summary:

The Magicians on Anise Street is a middle grade fantasy story about 10-year-old Dylan Frenkel and his family, who are forced to start over in the strange town of Carthage, where magical creatures from all over have settled in secret. Things immediately go off the rails when the Frenkels’ trailer is invaded, first by snakes and then sticky-fingered trolls. On top of that, Dylan runs afoul of Glenn Naylor, a school bully with sinister powers.

Things turn around when Glenn’s usual nemesis, Deja Curtis, reaches out to Dylan. She has magic powers of her own and has been looking for a fearless ally. Together, she and Dylan tail Glenn into a goblin market hidden at the mall, but they’re too late to stop him from stealing an enchanted knife. Frustrated by their defeat but emboldened by their partnership, they descend into the trolls’ underground lair to recover the Frenkels’ stolen belongings. But the troll lair has been overrun with undead ash snakes summoned by the enchanted knife, planted by the sorcerer who duped Glenn into stealing it.

Dylan and Deja join forces with the residents of the troll lair and recover the enchanted knife, defeating the ash snakes. In honor of their heroism, they become Carthage’s new Magicians, entrusted with the secrets and safekeeping of the magical creatures that reside there. Glenn’s crimes are uncovered and Dylan and Deja resolve to stay vigilant in case the sorcerer or his snakes appear again.

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That’s the formal summary at least, the story stripped down into a sequence of actions that center on the most prominent characters. (I will send a version of this to agents when I look for representation again.) But there are many things I like about this story that couldn’t fit in such a summary. Dylan’s character arc is a big one. He starts out frustrated, struggling to keep his temper in check.  It’s his father’s health issues that forced the move to Carthage, and Dylan approaches this with furious resignation, torn by a desire to support his family and anxiety over their circumstances.

This is something I saw a lot from my students years ago, when I briefly taught eighth grade science. It’s impossible to not notice when your family faces difficulties (even if your well-meaning parents try to shield you). I had several students like Dylan. Entering the school midyear with no friends, often just after arriving in a new city— These poor kids barely had their legs under them. The Magicians on Anise Street is about Dylan finding what everyone deserves after going through that: love, support, new friends, new community, and a way to help his family.

Deja Curtis also has her wish granted. While she’s always been incredible, she didn’t have a partner in crime before finding the perfect accomplice in Dylan. Ultimately, I can’t help but think of Dylan as her sidekick, even though the final confrontation at the trolls’ lair is something she goes along with for his benefit. We meet Glenn Naylor when he threatens Dylan, but Glenn was Deja’s villain before that, and the history between these two children shapes much of the conflict. In the end, she’s the one who earns them the title of town Magicians, finally having her talents recognized.

I really enjoyed writing this story. I’ve moved on to other projects since, which I’ll save for future blog posts. Someday, if there’s interest in Dylan and Deja’s story, I’d like to return to Anise Street. If I got to write a second book, it would detail the ghost-hunting exploits of 13-year-old Elijah Frenkel and the classmates he wants to impress: Nikki Barbosa, Angel Ramone, and Reese Curtis. Trapped in a haunted mansion on Halloween, these teens would have to contend with shocking revelations: ghosts are real, a sorcerer is on the attack, and their younger siblings got into monster slaying while no one was looking.