Bittersweet "goodbye"

It's a very bittersweet place I am in currently with the Magicians series having reached its end. If you have told me years ago that at some point I would complete an entire series and publish it... I wouldn't have believed you. Most days I still don't believe the reality of it.

I have not broken down entirely and cried or anything, but I can feel the strain of it resting on my shoulders. The series is over, and alas for both myself and my readers I must move onto something new. It feels like I am entering into an entirely new world again because it's been so long since I wrote something outside of the Magicians series. These characters have been a part of my daily life for years now, and most days they still echo throughout my thoughts. Perhaps it's time I say a proper farewell to them too. Farewell doesn't need to be forever, but for currently it will do.

This isn't to suggest everything has ended for the magicians. I have years ahead of me, and who knows perhaps I'll write a spin off from the original series. I may be taking a break from writing about them, but I'll still be sharing their stories everywhere I go.

Favorite scenes from the books:

• Cursed With Power -the prologue with the burning church. I rewrote the prologue endless times, but the one about the destroyed church was the most vivid and powerful. It was the first time the prologue introduced both Celestria and Alaire. Alaire became such a huge character in the book -more than what was originally planned- and I'm glad he was there for the readers to cheer on.
• Shadows and Embers -the training scene involving Nicia and Leal. So many ideas filled my head while writing that scene, and it was a powerful statement of Nicia and Leal's friendship. I felt deeply involved in their relationship, and from there I built on it more.
• Thicker Than Blood -Alaire's private meeting with Christopher. I won't spoil anything, but both men proved their determination and leadership here. 
• Bloodline Inheritance -the end of the war... It was probably the hardest scene I ever wrote, but it was also extremely satisfying. So much had led up to this war, and there were a lot of materials to work with on this. 

As for my characters, I could not say one was my favorite over the other. Each character played an important role in this series, and each of them challenged me in different ways. Celestria and I worked together to find ourselves in a confusing world. Leal was so determined to tell his story, it seemed he was begging me during the ending of CWP. Alaire offered a gentle touch and loving manner that no one else quite had. Dyanna fought for freedom and was forced to make difficult choices, and Malin stayed loyal to his friends -whom he considered to be family.

Do you have a favorite character or scene from the series? Comment below and share. If you haven't already started on the series, now is the prefect time. Copies of the books will be available in libraries in the Maryland area soon -which I'll be sharing on Facebook. 

Be sure to check back in. I have a lot I'm trying to squeeze in before the end of the month!

Lindsey R. Sablowski