Healthy Dose of Fiction and Fantasy
Houdini’s Last Handcuffs follows three friends from Manhattan in the 1950s who are contacted by Houdini through a set of handcuffs and asked to go on a mission to find his hidden journal. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Perhaps oddly, the first inspiration for the novel came from our father’s obituary in the New York Times. Douglas Martin wrote about a third of a page about our family, its magic, and related interests as well as the connection to Houdini. Upon reading that, it was perhaps the first time I realized I grew up in an unusual family.
I began writing what was essentially a memoir. I was aware that my high school English teacher had gone on to become Editor-in-Chief at Random House (Daniel Menaker), I sent it off to him asking for his thoughts…even though I was now about 50 years old. He was kind enough to send it back with a critique, handwritten, on company letterhead. Ultimately with that, and having inherited from my father the last handcuffs to leave the brothers Houdini and Hardeen’s estate, my imagination began turning a memoir into a historical fiction. Houdini’s Last Handcuffs was born.
Your characters are wonderfully emotive and relatable drawing in readers of all ages. Were you able to use anything from your own life to inform their character development?
Absolutely, as the characters are reflections of ourselves, events we were involved in, and family and family friends, we wanted our characters to be true to ourselves, even as we delved into areas of fiction wherein we wanted them to respond how we might have responded. Most of the events, places, and people are drawn from the crucible of our memories along with a healthy dose of fiction and fantasy.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing or did it come out organically as you were writing?
We both “lived” with the characters in our minds as we wrote about them.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
We are in the process of writing a sequel. The expected release date is October 31, 2026, the 100th anniversary of Houdini’s death.
Author Links: GoodReads | Book Trailer | Website | Amazon
While the adults attempt to reach Houdini in a Séance at his former residence, the children unknowingly call upon the great magician, not through the Ouija board or séance but via an enigmatic pair of handcuffs from their father’s magic collection.
Houdini, in dire need of their aid, reveals a hidden notebook filled with scientific formulas coveted by both benevolent and malevolent secret circles. This notebook is a puzzle, locked behind Houdini’s cryptic code.
The unexpected unfolds, setting off a thrilling chase, where the pursuit of Houdini’s notebook holds the key to secrets, mystique, and adventure. Houdini’s Last Handcuffs is a riveting journey into a world where magic meets science, tantalizing readers with every twist and turn.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/04/21/healthy-dose-of-fiction-and-fantasy/
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