The idea for The Magic Collector began with a vision.

A girl sitting at a table in a library, opening a book. And when she finishes it, she looks up…and everyone in the library is gone.

I combined this with inspiration I received from listening to a talk by Gregory Manchess during the first World Fantasy Convention I attended, in 2017. A gifted painter, Mr. Manchess mentioned that he learned that what drew people to paintings and book covers was the story created by the art…and a mystery within that story that made people want to know more.

This idea, combined with the vision of a girl in a library lost in a book, was the seed that grew into the tale told by The Magic Collector.

My wife and I, having two boys, planned on having another child. If we had a girl, my wife wanted to name her Bellatrix. My wife is a wonderfully dark person, identifying with villains far more so than heroes. And she loves the moon, and wolves, and Halloween. So of course her daughter - if she existed - would share these qualities.

And thus, Bella was born. Not in real life (yet), but in a book.

So, with the idea that art was the process of telling stories, and that a very dark but sweet girl named Bella would get lost in a book, I created the characters and world of The Magic Collector. Grandpa represented my journey as a writer, and the lessons I’d learned as an artist and a father.

The story grew as it was written, as is the case with all books. And as it grew, more characters sprang forth from the ether, and the magic of writing took hold. My characters took on a life of their own, and I drew them forth from the page, making them real…for myself, and I hope, for some of you.

I took great pleasure in writing The Magic Collector. If you experience a fraction of that joy reading it, then I will be quite content.

Thank you for reading!