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#MGMonday: Putting Magic into the Setting.

 Firstly, I apologise for not posting a Middle Grade Monday blog last week. It was quite a crazy time, with my exam on the Monday and the Music Festival all week. But I wanted to make sure I got this blog up on the right day! Today, I'll be discussing how to put magic into a setting, particularly for middle grade books. One of the key points to make is that magic is not unusual for children. It is quite normal for a class of children to believe that magic exists, and this has both benefits and drawbacks. The benefit is that you don't have to spend as long persuading the reader that a magical place is relatable. The drawback is they already have a set idea as to what magic is like and, if you want to go outside the box as many authors do, it can cause problems. When planning how to put magic into your setting, you can ask yourself some questions: Is the whole world magic, or just select places? Perhaps there is an underwater kingdom of magic, while the folk on shore are just lik...
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#HistFicThursdays - Merry, Fotherby? - Excerpts

Today I just want to take the opportunity to wish you and your family and friends a very merry Christmas!

I love writing Christmas from the past. There is something simultaneously simplistic and exuberant about earlier Christmases, and it is a great opportunity to look into the emotive side of personal history. You can tell a lot about an historical person by looking at how they regarded Christmas.



So here is a couple of snippets from Beneath Black Clouds and White which show two very different Christmases: https://www.stompermcewan.com/beneath-black-clouds-and-white-christmas
And, if it catches your eye, the eBook is currently free on Smashwords.

Have a Very Merry Christmas, Historical Fiction Fans!



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