The Carnival of Lost Souls : A Handcuff Kid Novel
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Mildred settled into the driver’s seat. Jack ran into the yard and waved one last good-bye to his friends. When he raised his arm, he felt the metal slide down his wrist, but this time it wasn’t a handcuff, but the professor’s gold watch, which he had given to Jack to wear to hide the tattoo. The last thing he needed was for Mildred to see it and start asking questions.
The shiny gold watch sparkled in the sunlight and was a constant reminder of his ordeal. It even reminded him a little of the devil’s golden handcuffs that Shepard had made. But mostly it reminded him, proudly, of the amazing and terrifying magician who had given him the tattoo in the first place, and whose grasp he had escaped. He slipped the watch back down and tried not to think about the mark etched into his skin, linking him forever to the Land of the Dead.
The professor stood on the porch, somberly dressed all in black. The professor reminded Jack of the old priest who’d been his foster father and given him the Houdini book. He would never forget those men, the ghostlike dads that drifted in and out of his life. They weren’t ghosts at all, but real people, and he connected them all, even Mussini. Jack knew that they would remember him, too.
Jack wondered what he owed the world. As Jabber said, no debt went unpaid. He couldn’t add it up. He thought about his life, about the gift of being alive. He felt indebted to the universe, the sky, the stars, and to the invisible air. How would he ever pay it back?
All he could do was live his life. Hold on to it, every lousy card and every hard-learned lesson. He didn’t let the kids fool him, the ones dressed up in pointy hats or long black robes with wands and magic dust. Jack knew the secret that every magician knew, and that Houdini knew. And that was: Real magic was man-made. Everyone could do it.
Mildred started the old car, and as she pulled away, she scraped the tires against the curb like she always did. Jack laughed and waved. It felt strange to see his friends and Mildred drive away, but he knew that he would see them again. For once, Jack was staying put, and it felt good to finally be home.
I am grateful to many people for their help, guidance, and support in bringing this novel to life. One day while bemoaning the demise of a less-than-stellar manuscript, I had a flash of inspiration to write a book about Houdini. I quickly discovered that it is impossible to simultaneously research the life and magic of Houdini while feeling sorry for oneself or remaining complacent. Magic was hard work. But I didn’t want to write a novel about Houdini; I wanted to write a novel about a kid who cared about Houdini and was inspired by him the way that I was inspired by his tireless effort to fool the eye, to rise out of his circumstances, and to be great at something as fleeting as creating illusions. I thank Harry Houdini, who showed me that, especially through life’s hardest moments, creating illusions is important.
I would like to thank my family, especially my nemesis—I mean, loving and caring sister—Jen, who never tires of listening to me talk about how the book is going. Also, I would like to thank Nadja and Bob Muchow for their unwavering support, and Steve for his endless supply of calm and assuredness. I have a great critique group, No vampires Invited, and I would like to thank Robin Galbraith, Elizabeth Buck, Farrar Williams, and Joan Silsby for their kindness and support. I must also thank Ted Malawer for finding a wonderful home for the manuscript.
I am grateful to everyone at Abrams, particularly Susan van Metre for her early support of the project. I am especially lucky to work with editor Maggie Lehrman. Her insightful edits pushed me to be a better writer and storyteller, and the novel benefited greatly from her effort. And lastly, I would like to thank Maria T. Middleton for the great book design and Brandon Dorman for the gorgeous artwork for the cover.
Laura Quimby holds a degree in English literature from Towson State University in Maryland, where she lives with her family. This is her first novel.
JACKET ILLUSTRATION © 2010 BRANDON DORMAN
JACKET DESIGN BY MARIA T. MIDDLETON
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
PRAISE for
The Carnival of Lost Souls
“The Carnival of Lost Souls was the perfect book for me. I loved the blend of creepiness, suspense, mystery, and humor. It made me feel like i was really there in the Forest of the dead.”
—James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner
“Laura Quimby fashions a creepy-cool world, brimming with danger and magic, weaving together carnivals, the amazing Houdini, and elements of myths. It was a pleasure to get lost in it.”
—Bruce Hale, author of the Chet Gecko Mysteries