People have been asking me, “Why a circus book?”
Circuses have had a place in my imagination for a long time. They’re part of my family mythology. When I was two or three years old, we all went to the circus. My brother was a baby at the time, so my mother was in charge of him and my older sister. My father was tasked with keeping me in line.
Easier said than done, apparently.
I got away from him, and a moment later, I was standing in front of a large elephant on its way to the big top.
Accordin
g to family legend, I was completely unafraid, though the onlookers were horrified. I didn’t even come up to the elephant’s knee. It could have squished me like a bug.
Instead, we gazed at each other silently. Nobody dared to move.
Then my father saw me, and he sprang forward, grabbed me, and yanked me out of the elephant’s path.
I have no real memory of this incident, though my parents sure do. But I grew up with the story, and I tried to instill both the terror they felt and the fearlessness I displayed into The Marvelwood Magicians.
You may well have your own circus tale. Tell me about it! Your comment will enter you in a contest to win one of two signed copies of The Marvelwood Magicians.
Write a comment on the blog telling me why you love (or fear!) the circus. Two winners will be picked by random.org on October 20.
Good luck!
