What's The Appeal?
Abracadabra…hocus pocus…shazam! These words are nonsensical, yet we know exactly what they indicate—magic.
Since the medieval legends of Merlin, still being refined and retold today, magic has fascinated us with its world of possibilities. When a magician swirls his cape and makes his lovely assistant disappear, we can't help but wonder if it is really just a trick or, perhaps, it might be something more. Of course, our rational mind tells us it is an illusion. But secretly we wonder, even if just for a moment, did the assistant really vanish? How did the magician make the trick appear real? It is the mystery and the unknown possibilities that keep us mesmerized.
Magic works the same way in romance. When an author adds a magical element to a story, we also find ourselves questioning what is real and what is illusion. Can the hero really transform from gorgeous man to a prowling feline? Can a heroine find herself transported back in time by accidentally stumbling into a fairy ring? Can a bewitched amulet help the villain cast magical spells? Just like the magician, it is the author's job to make us believe the illusion.
Fortunately, the author's burden isn't as difficult as it may first appear. Magic and romance seem to naturally go hand in hand. Romantic moments are often described in mystical terms: "It was a magical" or "There was magic in the air." Like magic, falling in love is full of enchantment, and there is also a measure of unreality to it. More magic just adds to an already extraordinary situation.
However, we don't want to read a romance that we can't believe. So how does the author give us a story full of magic that doesn't leave us feeling that the romance was just the deception of smoke and mirrors?
This is where the author differs greatly from the magician; the author openly reveals the mechanics behind their magic. They give us a reason to believe that pixie dust is as common as plain household dust or that the cranky neighbor is really a fairy godmother. They create a world were magic isn't an illusion—it is real. And in doing so, they also make us believe that the love story that evolves from the magic is real too!
Authors' Thoughts...
Glenna McReynolds
"Magic, like love, is full of possibilities, a force of nature. It defies logic and compels us to act, whether common sense tells us we should or not. Love, like magic, enchants us beyond reason, and truly, there are no more enchanting and magical creatures on earth than the people we love. Yet there is danger in both magic and love—and therein lies a fantastic story! For a great read, I recommend The Wild Child by Mary Jo Putney. The heroine is a true force of nature."
Kathleen Nance
"Stories of magic are grown up fairy tales. The usual rules don't apply; they're replaced by the strange and the wondrous. With magic, life—and romance—are experienced in surprising and exciting new ways." Kathleen recommends readers check out The Wizard of Seattle by Kay Hooper.
Christine Holden
"Be it hero or heroine, the thought of magic as a cure-all for romantic woes is very appealing. With one fell (magic) swoop, obstacles are removed and lives are redeemed. Hero and heroine get each other's attention with the help of magic or magical creatures and then, at last, love conquers all." Christine Holden (aka Leslie-Christine Megahey and Shirley Holden-Ferdinand) recommends Bedroom Eyes by Hailey North aka Nikki Holiday.
MAGIC & MAGICAL CREATURES
Wizards, leprechauns, sorcerers, fairies, mermaids, djinies… come to life with their own tales of love and passion. These otherworldly creatures take readers into another realm where heroes and heroines battle fire-breathing dragons with a magic sword, unravel evil spells centuries old, fight to save a people from an evil sorcerer but in the end, it is love that conquers all.
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