Deja Vu Blogfest -- A Taste of Magic

So in reading one of my favorite bloggers early this morning, (thanks Laura!), I discovered that today is Deja Vu Blogfest. What fun!

In looking back over my earlier posts from over a year ago, I decided to revisit this one, because, to be honest, it needed a touch-up.

Hope you enjoy a second, improved helping of A Taste of Magic. Oh, and please skip over to Wednesday's guest post from fabulous debut author Michael L. Martin, Jr. and post a comment on A Sense of Wonder to win a copy of his book Burn in Hades. Winner will be announced in this space at noon today EST. So hurry!

Congratulations Suzanne Lucero!  You're the winner of Michael's book Burn in Hades!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  I'll send you an e-mail about which format.

A Taste of Magic

When working with an element unfamiliar to your reader, such as a certain magical spell or fantastical beast, it is important to introduce how your creation works before using it in an important situation, especially a situation that involves a twist or mystery.  You have to play fair with your reader by exposing the magical function before the magical result is critical to the story.

J.K. Rowling was really good about this.  For example, we saw McGonagall transform as an animagus long before the Padfoot, Wormtail, Prongs, and Mooney thread of Prisoner of Azkaban.  Likewise, Jo introduced the Polyjuice potion as a relatively minor plot point in Chamber of Secrets before it became a major potion of concealment two books later.

In looking at Goblet of Fire, I found two magical elements that JKR deliberately introduced to her reader at the beginning of the story which played a crucial role in its climax: the Portkey and Prior Incantato.  Early in the book, Mr. Diggory used Prior Incantato to discover the last spell cast from the wand Winky had been discovered with...Harry's own.  Hermione gasped in horror as a shadow of the Dark Mark emerged from Harry's lost wand.

When traveling to the Quidditch World Cup, Mr. Weasley tells Harry that the Portkey they are about to take is an object "used to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time.  You can do large groups at a time if you need to."  And when Harry asks what type of objects they are, he replies, "Well, they can be anything...Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles don't go picking them up and playing with them." (p. 70, GoF).

A Taste of Magic

When working with an element unfamiliar to your reader, such as a certain magical spell or fantastical beast, it is important to introduce how that element works before using it in an important situation, especially a situation that involves a twist or mystery.  You have to play fair with your reader by exposing the magic before the magical result is important to the story.

JKR was really good about this.  For example, we saw McGonagall transforming as an animagus long before the Padfoot, Wormtail, Prongs, and Mooney thread of Prisoner of Azkaban.  Likewise, JKR introduced the Polyjuice potion as a relatively minor plot point in Chamber of Secrets before it became a major potion of concealment two books later.

In looking at Goblet of Fire, I found two magical elements that JKR deliberately introduced to her reader at the beginning of the story which played a crucial role in its climax: the Portkey and Prior Incantato.  Portkeys, according to Mr. Weasley are "objects that are used to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time.  You can do large groups at a time if you need to."  And when Harry asks what type of objects they are, he replies, "Well, they can be anything...Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles don't go picking them up and playing with them." (p. 70, GoF).

Portkeys can be anything...like a TriWizard Tournament Cup! And just like at the beginning of the book, Cedric takes hold of the Portkey along with Harry to a meeting that involves Death Eaters.  Here at the dark moment, however, the Portkey transports Harry and Cedric into a much more deadly encounter where Cedric loses his life and Prior Incantato unleashes "the ghost of a spell" (p. 136) that reveals Harry's deceased mother and father.

When working with elements, magical or otherwise, that play a crucial role in the climax or mystery of your story, make sure you have introduced your reader to them, and the way they should work, beforehand.  Give your reader a taste of magic early on so they have a fighting chance at playing along with your world and guessing your secrets.  Foreshadow major elements that are yet to come.  Introduce creations of your own imagination in such a way that your reader can be an active participant in your story.  Don't just spring a crucial surprise on them that they could not have guessed.  They'll feel cheated.

What magical or fantastical elements have you introduced into your story and how have you foreshadowed them?

In a Series, Foreshadowing a Character

One thing JK Rowling did throughout her series was to give a cameo to a character in a book before that character truly had a starring role. For example, in the first book, the Dursleys talk about Arabella Figg as Harry's babysitter before she comes out as a squib in Order of the Phoenix. Likewise, Gregorovitch is mentioned as the maker of Krum's wand in Goblet of Fire before he becomes a carrier of an important secret and the target of Voldemort's wrath in Deathly Hallows.

One of JKR's most beloved characters, Sirius Black, is also foreshadowed in an earlier book. In answer to Dumbledore's question as to where he got the motorbike, Hagrid answers:

“Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir,” said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. “Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I’ve got him, sir.” (p. 14, SS)

Notice that JKR plants Sirius into the very first chapter of her first book, even though he doesn't appear as a true character until two books later with Prisoner of Azkaban. She also gives a hint as to his character and role with that motorbike and his presence at Godric's Hollow.

In Prisoner of Azkaban, JKR gives Cedric Diggory a cameo, even though his starring role is not until the next book, Goblet of Fire.

"Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square...even Wood admits it." (p. 180, PoA)

If even Wood admits it was fair, but Cedric was willing to forego a win for a rematch, then he must be a true champion. It's a wonderful, although brief, introduction to the young man whose sense of honor and fair play makes him a winner with Harry in the maze, and then lose his life because of it.

Layering characters into stories in this manner reveals the depths to which JKR plots her series. To a reader, a series feels more real and connected when an important character doesn't just begin and end their career in one book. Readers love a sense of interconnectedness and a well thought-out plot.

If you're writing a series, plot out each book, its plots and characters, far enough in advance, that you can bring onstage characters from a later story and introduce them to your audience before their closeup.

What have you foreshadowed in your story or series?  Have you brought on a character even before they had a starring role?