It’s great fun bringing characters to life. My Magic Trix series follows ten-year-old Trix Morgan as she trains to be a fairy godmother. Trix has a kind heart, but her good deeds often have a way of turning into magical messes.
One of the first things I do when I begin to develop a story is create the main characters. There’s a lot to think about:
- What do they look like?
- Who are their best friends and biggest enemies?
- What are they scared of?
- What are their family lives like?
- What are their darkest secrets?
Writing this series took over my life. At one point while developing Magic Trix, I was plotting Museum Mayhem, writing Birthday Wishes, checking the art for Flying High, and proofreading The Witching Hour. Every day was filled with Trix, Jinx, Lulu, and the rest of the Magic Trix gang. I had a blast writing these stories, and I hope readers enjoy reading them.
The joy of creating a series is that – after a while – the characters almost feel human. By the time I was writing the third book in the Magic Trix series, I knew how Trix and my cast of characters would react in any situation. I could hear their voices in my head. I knew the silly things Jinx, my magical familiar cat, would do. I could easily imagine what tricks Trix’s pesky younger brother Oliver would play and how my mean girl Stella would make life difficult for dear Trix.
When you write the final scene in the final book in a series, it’s difficult to say good-bye. These characters have been a part of your life for years. I like to imagine that my friends in Magic Trix still live on out there somewhere. And if I ever get lonely, all I have to do is pick up one of the six Magic Trix books and I’m reunited with my friends and off having adventures with them again!