I’m about to compare myself to a literary giant, but first I have an announcement!
The cover for “Portals & Pantheons” is here!
“Portals & Pantheons” releases on December 19th, 2023! Despite everything life has thrown at me for the last year, you’ll be able to join Mr. Finn, Ms. Sirin, and Bree on their next adventure by Christmas. I’ll update with pre-order information very soon. Happy Holidays!
Now back to my delusions of grandeur!
One thing I love about writing fantasy is that I can just make stuff up. However, I also enjoy researching and I use what I learn in my writing. In “Heroes & Harbingers” (and the whole Secret of Pantheons series), I packed as much research as I could into it. A lot of it is obvious, like all the folklore. If you’re not from Jacksonville, FL, you may miss a ton of the historical context. So, I wanted to talk to you all a little about the book’s main setting.
Annie Lytle Magical Magnet High School
There was a real school in Jacksonville, FL that went by the name Annie Lytle, but it wasn’t magical or a magnet school. Heck, it wasn’t even a high school. It was just a lovely elementary school named after a beloved teacher who eventually became the principal there.
Built in 1917, Annie Lytle Elementary School was once a vibrant and bustling hub of learning in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally, it was named Public School Number Four until it took on the Annie Lytle moniker.
For four decades, it served as a cornerstone of the community. It was known for its academic excellence and its dedication to providing a nurturing environment for its students. The school boasted a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports teams, clubs, and musical programs. Annie Lytle was also a pioneer in integrating its student body, welcoming students from all backgrounds and cultures. Unfortunately, that didn’t last forever.
With the construction of I-95, teachers, students, and staff found it difficult to learn with traffic jams and distractions within mere yards of the school building. This led to declining enrollment and financial constraints, and Annie Lytle Elementary School had to shut its doors in 1960.
The school has been vacant for many years, falling into disrepair. Urban legends about it abound in Florida, often about an evil janitor and ghost children. Over the decades, curious risk takers have trespassed onto the property to take photos and search for anything supernatural. Others have come to paint on its walls, sometimes as art and sometimes as vandalism. This has made the school building’s decline even worse. However, a group of dedicated community members formed the Annie Lytle Preservation Group, with the goal of saving the school from demolition and restoring it to its former glory.
Like the ALPG, I long to see Annie Lytle Elementary School repaired! I don’t have the tools or money to do it in real life, but I do have a pretty vivid imagination. So when I decided to write a book about teachers at a magical public school, I chose Annie Lytle as my inspiration. I get to imagine that it was saved with the discovery of a powerful ley line and turned into the best performing magnet school for magic in the state of Florida.
Here’s my loose connection to Victor Hugo.
I read recently that the Notre Dame Cathedral was supposed to be demolished after multiple disasters and years of disrepair. However, Victor Hugo loved that church and decided to save it by writing “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” And it worked! The passage I read stated that landmark fanfic can change the world. I’m no literary author legend, but my hope is that perhaps someone will read my book and send money to the Annie Lytle Preservation Group.
Is there a landmark you wish you could magically repair? Is there anything you would change about it? Let me know!
Did you like reading this? Then, you’ll love my books!
You can find all of my published works, even the anthologies I’ve contributed to by clicking the “Learn More” button below!
