A magical realism novel at 68,500 words, Magic Begins stands alone with series potential. Abby and Iris are two lost girls until they find their way to the North Pole, directed by a clue from their missing father. Abby, a restless soul, continues to seek what became of her father and family, while her younger sister is content to acclimate to the new life with their caretakers, the town’s carpenter and his wife. But when an unexpected death and the arrival of a strange young man occur, the girls are set on a course, spanning two decades, to find the elusive Santa Claus, whom they believe holds the secrets to their past, as well as the answers for their future.
Talking wolves and penguins, silvery bamboo, and flying deer give Magic Begins’ readers a fantastical look at the age-old fairy tale of Santa Claus. “Land of Misfits,” a waiting place called “Le Flou,” and marsh crossings symbolize our own struggles.