Pat here:
When I set out to write one of my Malcom/Ives Magic books, I never know what rabbit hole I’ll stumble down. I only knew the book following CHEMISTRY OF MAGIC needed to be Will’s book. William Ives-Madden is one of the late marquess’s bastards, and from the beginning, he’s been an atypical Ives. He’s big, yes, but he’s more blond than dark, he’s silent and not in the least charming, and we never see him gracing the ballrooms of society. He has the usual Ives scorn of flibbertigibbet Malcolm females, although he has reason to suspect he has more than a little of his grandmother’s witchy weirdness.
One of the fun parts of writing romance is finding the perfect match for our characters. So what did I do to torment poor hands-on, country-loving, dog-whisperer Will? I gave him an untouchable duke’s daughter.
I’ve been dying to write about the Duke of Sommersville’s family, but the opportunity never arose 
until now. I knew nothing about Lady Aurelia, his eldest daughter, until I began to wonder what Malcolm gift she may have inherited. Her duchess grandmother from the original series (THIS MAGIC MOMENT) heard and saw ghosts. I don’t like repeating myself, so I played around, looking for sensory/neural experiences that might afflict my sensitive witches, and I ran across hyper-acute hearing.
Hyper-acute hearing is a real difficulty, often associated with the autism spectrum. Of course, in 1830, no one had heard of autism (or Will’s dyslexia). And because my Malcolms consider their oddities to be magical, Aurelia is supposed to figure out on her own how to deal with her inability to tolerate sound. Malcolms are supposed to make a good marriage and put their prodigious assets to work for the good of all. Since she barely leaves her essentially padded room, that ain’t happening.
To drag her out of her comfort zone, I dropped a nearly-deaf child at her feet, one whose mother has been abused and nearly killed. No way can a Malcom resist saving a battered woman! But how can she find the evil-doers if the child can’t hear or speak?
Of course that sent me researching deafness. For an amusing summary of the 
history of deafness, click here. Did you know that Alexander Graham Bell’s mother was hard of hearing and that he worked on forms of sign language? But that was after my time period, so I settled on the French finger spelling developed by a priest who created one of the first public schools for the deaf. For a brief summary and links, check the ADA’s site.
Since I’m personally losing the ability to differentiate words in a crowded, noisy room, I can relate somewhat to my heroine’s distress. Unfortunately, I don’t possess any super-ability to overcome the problem. Wouldn’t it be lovely if we all had some magical ability to help ourselves and others? What trait would you go for and why?
(For a Sample of No Perfect Magic, release date 6/27, check my website or Amazon)
I would love to be able to speak all languages so that no one would be in need without someone who could speak for him/her. This is especially important in caring for the sick, because they need to describe how they feel, when the symptoms started, and so on.
I would love to be able to speak all languages so that no one would be in need without someone who could speak for him/her. This is especially important in caring for the sick, because they need to describe how they feel, when the symptoms started, and so on.
I would love to be able to speak all languages so that no one would be in need without someone who could speak for him/her. This is especially important in caring for the sick, because they need to describe how they feel, when the symptoms started, and so on.
I would love to be able to speak all languages so that no one would be in need without someone who could speak for him/her. This is especially important in caring for the sick, because they need to describe how they feel, when the symptoms started, and so on.
I would love to be able to speak all languages so that no one would be in need without someone who could speak for him/her. This is especially important in caring for the sick, because they need to describe how they feel, when the symptoms started, and so on.
Oh a magical ability to understand anyone! Fabulous idea. It would also help with people faced with the law and no idea what’s happening to them or their loved ones. We’d need a whole lot of people with that ability!
Oh a magical ability to understand anyone! Fabulous idea. It would also help with people faced with the law and no idea what’s happening to them or their loved ones. We’d need a whole lot of people with that ability!
Oh a magical ability to understand anyone! Fabulous idea. It would also help with people faced with the law and no idea what’s happening to them or their loved ones. We’d need a whole lot of people with that ability!
Oh a magical ability to understand anyone! Fabulous idea. It would also help with people faced with the law and no idea what’s happening to them or their loved ones. We’d need a whole lot of people with that ability!
Oh a magical ability to understand anyone! Fabulous idea. It would also help with people faced with the law and no idea what’s happening to them or their loved ones. We’d need a whole lot of people with that ability!
Personally, I’ve always wanted to be able to make myself invisible. I don’t have any altruistic reason for this. I just think it would be fun, especially in a Puckish kind of way.
Personally, I’ve always wanted to be able to make myself invisible. I don’t have any altruistic reason for this. I just think it would be fun, especially in a Puckish kind of way.
Personally, I’ve always wanted to be able to make myself invisible. I don’t have any altruistic reason for this. I just think it would be fun, especially in a Puckish kind of way.
Personally, I’ve always wanted to be able to make myself invisible. I don’t have any altruistic reason for this. I just think it would be fun, especially in a Puckish kind of way.
Personally, I’ve always wanted to be able to make myself invisible. I don’t have any altruistic reason for this. I just think it would be fun, especially in a Puckish kind of way.
As long as you can make yourself visible again. The Invisible Man has kind of cured me of the desire for that one!
As long as you can make yourself visible again. The Invisible Man has kind of cured me of the desire for that one!
As long as you can make yourself visible again. The Invisible Man has kind of cured me of the desire for that one!
As long as you can make yourself visible again. The Invisible Man has kind of cured me of the desire for that one!
As long as you can make yourself visible again. The Invisible Man has kind of cured me of the desire for that one!
I just want Aeneas’ cloak of invisibility, which I could put on and off at will. I could have all kinds of fun with that. 😉
I just want Aeneas’ cloak of invisibility, which I could put on and off at will. I could have all kinds of fun with that. 😉
I just want Aeneas’ cloak of invisibility, which I could put on and off at will. I could have all kinds of fun with that. 😉
I just want Aeneas’ cloak of invisibility, which I could put on and off at will. I could have all kinds of fun with that. 😉
I just want Aeneas’ cloak of invisibility, which I could put on and off at will. I could have all kinds of fun with that. 😉
Well, since I have been hearing impaired all my life, and now classify as officially deaf, I would go for a true cure for deafness. I REALLY care about music, but I no longer listen much and I no longer sing, because I can’t hear well enough to sing.
Of course, as a compulsive reader, sight is even more important to me, but although my sight is aging, my doctor just told me I was good to go for another year. So I don’t worry about that one.
Well, since I have been hearing impaired all my life, and now classify as officially deaf, I would go for a true cure for deafness. I REALLY care about music, but I no longer listen much and I no longer sing, because I can’t hear well enough to sing.
Of course, as a compulsive reader, sight is even more important to me, but although my sight is aging, my doctor just told me I was good to go for another year. So I don’t worry about that one.
Well, since I have been hearing impaired all my life, and now classify as officially deaf, I would go for a true cure for deafness. I REALLY care about music, but I no longer listen much and I no longer sing, because I can’t hear well enough to sing.
Of course, as a compulsive reader, sight is even more important to me, but although my sight is aging, my doctor just told me I was good to go for another year. So I don’t worry about that one.
Well, since I have been hearing impaired all my life, and now classify as officially deaf, I would go for a true cure for deafness. I REALLY care about music, but I no longer listen much and I no longer sing, because I can’t hear well enough to sing.
Of course, as a compulsive reader, sight is even more important to me, but although my sight is aging, my doctor just told me I was good to go for another year. So I don’t worry about that one.
Well, since I have been hearing impaired all my life, and now classify as officially deaf, I would go for a true cure for deafness. I REALLY care about music, but I no longer listen much and I no longer sing, because I can’t hear well enough to sing.
Of course, as a compulsive reader, sight is even more important to me, but although my sight is aging, my doctor just told me I was good to go for another year. So I don’t worry about that one.
I would love to be able to think of where I wanted to go, keep the image clearly in mind, and say, that’s the place, silently in my mind, and be there.
It would save so much money on transit fare on the subway and buses.
I would love to be able to think of where I wanted to go, keep the image clearly in mind, and say, that’s the place, silently in my mind, and be there.
It would save so much money on transit fare on the subway and buses.
I would love to be able to think of where I wanted to go, keep the image clearly in mind, and say, that’s the place, silently in my mind, and be there.
It would save so much money on transit fare on the subway and buses.
I would love to be able to think of where I wanted to go, keep the image clearly in mind, and say, that’s the place, silently in my mind, and be there.
It would save so much money on transit fare on the subway and buses.
I would love to be able to think of where I wanted to go, keep the image clearly in mind, and say, that’s the place, silently in my mind, and be there.
It would save so much money on transit fare on the subway and buses.
oh dear, it’s so sad to have to give up music! Guess I should have had you read over PERFECT’S ms to see if I did it right, but the deaf child has only a small part to play.
But sight…that’s a huge one for me. I can’t listen to audio. Can you?
oh dear, it’s so sad to have to give up music! Guess I should have had you read over PERFECT’S ms to see if I did it right, but the deaf child has only a small part to play.
But sight…that’s a huge one for me. I can’t listen to audio. Can you?
oh dear, it’s so sad to have to give up music! Guess I should have had you read over PERFECT’S ms to see if I did it right, but the deaf child has only a small part to play.
But sight…that’s a huge one for me. I can’t listen to audio. Can you?
oh dear, it’s so sad to have to give up music! Guess I should have had you read over PERFECT’S ms to see if I did it right, but the deaf child has only a small part to play.
But sight…that’s a huge one for me. I can’t listen to audio. Can you?
oh dear, it’s so sad to have to give up music! Guess I should have had you read over PERFECT’S ms to see if I did it right, but the deaf child has only a small part to play.
But sight…that’s a huge one for me. I can’t listen to audio. Can you?
LOL! What about a place in time? But can you imagine–transporting yourself to London or Fiji or… Yeah, I think I like this one!
LOL! What about a place in time? But can you imagine–transporting yourself to London or Fiji or… Yeah, I think I like this one!
LOL! What about a place in time? But can you imagine–transporting yourself to London or Fiji or… Yeah, I think I like this one!
LOL! What about a place in time? But can you imagine–transporting yourself to London or Fiji or… Yeah, I think I like this one!
LOL! What about a place in time? But can you imagine–transporting yourself to London or Fiji or… Yeah, I think I like this one!
The Universal Translator, place/time travellor are both awesome. My problem is with my eyes. I’m extremely near sighted and as my glasses for distance get stronger, my near vision only seems to work with my glasses at the end of my nose. When mynose gets too short, (translated, I’ve been reading too long and should put the book down but don’t) I take off my glasses and end up, “reading with my nose again”. Perfect vision seems like a magical ability to me. So maybe eagle vision would be a cool magical ability. One extreme to another! 😀 But still be able to do fine work like cross stitch. Sigh…and read for hours without my eyes going crossed! 😀
The Universal Translator, place/time travellor are both awesome. My problem is with my eyes. I’m extremely near sighted and as my glasses for distance get stronger, my near vision only seems to work with my glasses at the end of my nose. When mynose gets too short, (translated, I’ve been reading too long and should put the book down but don’t) I take off my glasses and end up, “reading with my nose again”. Perfect vision seems like a magical ability to me. So maybe eagle vision would be a cool magical ability. One extreme to another! 😀 But still be able to do fine work like cross stitch. Sigh…and read for hours without my eyes going crossed! 😀
The Universal Translator, place/time travellor are both awesome. My problem is with my eyes. I’m extremely near sighted and as my glasses for distance get stronger, my near vision only seems to work with my glasses at the end of my nose. When mynose gets too short, (translated, I’ve been reading too long and should put the book down but don’t) I take off my glasses and end up, “reading with my nose again”. Perfect vision seems like a magical ability to me. So maybe eagle vision would be a cool magical ability. One extreme to another! 😀 But still be able to do fine work like cross stitch. Sigh…and read for hours without my eyes going crossed! 😀
The Universal Translator, place/time travellor are both awesome. My problem is with my eyes. I’m extremely near sighted and as my glasses for distance get stronger, my near vision only seems to work with my glasses at the end of my nose. When mynose gets too short, (translated, I’ve been reading too long and should put the book down but don’t) I take off my glasses and end up, “reading with my nose again”. Perfect vision seems like a magical ability to me. So maybe eagle vision would be a cool magical ability. One extreme to another! 😀 But still be able to do fine work like cross stitch. Sigh…and read for hours without my eyes going crossed! 😀
The Universal Translator, place/time travellor are both awesome. My problem is with my eyes. I’m extremely near sighted and as my glasses for distance get stronger, my near vision only seems to work with my glasses at the end of my nose. When mynose gets too short, (translated, I’ve been reading too long and should put the book down but don’t) I take off my glasses and end up, “reading with my nose again”. Perfect vision seems like a magical ability to me. So maybe eagle vision would be a cool magical ability. One extreme to another! 😀 But still be able to do fine work like cross stitch. Sigh…and read for hours without my eyes going crossed! 😀
No, I miss too many words, and the pacing is wrong! At least on the Nook and the Kindle, I can get instant larger type.
No, I miss too many words, and the pacing is wrong! At least on the Nook and the Kindle, I can get instant larger type.
No, I miss too many words, and the pacing is wrong! At least on the Nook and the Kindle, I can get instant larger type.
No, I miss too many words, and the pacing is wrong! At least on the Nook and the Kindle, I can get instant larger type.
No, I miss too many words, and the pacing is wrong! At least on the Nook and the Kindle, I can get instant larger type.
I would love to be able to speak languages. That is not a strength for me.
Ms Rice, I beg to differ with one of your comments. To me, you do have a magical talent. You write books which entertain, inform and bring joy. It seems to me that is magic.
I would love to be able to speak languages. That is not a strength for me.
Ms Rice, I beg to differ with one of your comments. To me, you do have a magical talent. You write books which entertain, inform and bring joy. It seems to me that is magic.
I would love to be able to speak languages. That is not a strength for me.
Ms Rice, I beg to differ with one of your comments. To me, you do have a magical talent. You write books which entertain, inform and bring joy. It seems to me that is magic.
I would love to be able to speak languages. That is not a strength for me.
Ms Rice, I beg to differ with one of your comments. To me, you do have a magical talent. You write books which entertain, inform and bring joy. It seems to me that is magic.
I would love to be able to speak languages. That is not a strength for me.
Ms Rice, I beg to differ with one of your comments. To me, you do have a magical talent. You write books which entertain, inform and bring joy. It seems to me that is magic.
nose too short! Love that. Eagle vision, or superman’s x-ray vision? That would be kinda cool too.
I wish I could do any close work without glasses, but it’s not happening in this lifetime. My nose starts to ache from the glasses after a while. I need a super strong nose!
nose too short! Love that. Eagle vision, or superman’s x-ray vision? That would be kinda cool too.
I wish I could do any close work without glasses, but it’s not happening in this lifetime. My nose starts to ache from the glasses after a while. I need a super strong nose!
nose too short! Love that. Eagle vision, or superman’s x-ray vision? That would be kinda cool too.
I wish I could do any close work without glasses, but it’s not happening in this lifetime. My nose starts to ache from the glasses after a while. I need a super strong nose!
nose too short! Love that. Eagle vision, or superman’s x-ray vision? That would be kinda cool too.
I wish I could do any close work without glasses, but it’s not happening in this lifetime. My nose starts to ache from the glasses after a while. I need a super strong nose!
nose too short! Love that. Eagle vision, or superman’s x-ray vision? That would be kinda cool too.
I wish I could do any close work without glasses, but it’s not happening in this lifetime. My nose starts to ache from the glasses after a while. I need a super strong nose!
Awww, thank you, Annette! But that’s something we probably ought to consider–that we all have talents that seem magical to others. I’d love to have the ability to comprehend and speak other languages as well. I’m in awe of people who can master several. I learned to read and write Spanish, but hearing and speaking were beyond my ability.
Think about it and see if you don’t have a little magic of your own!
Awww, thank you, Annette! But that’s something we probably ought to consider–that we all have talents that seem magical to others. I’d love to have the ability to comprehend and speak other languages as well. I’m in awe of people who can master several. I learned to read and write Spanish, but hearing and speaking were beyond my ability.
Think about it and see if you don’t have a little magic of your own!
Awww, thank you, Annette! But that’s something we probably ought to consider–that we all have talents that seem magical to others. I’d love to have the ability to comprehend and speak other languages as well. I’m in awe of people who can master several. I learned to read and write Spanish, but hearing and speaking were beyond my ability.
Think about it and see if you don’t have a little magic of your own!
Awww, thank you, Annette! But that’s something we probably ought to consider–that we all have talents that seem magical to others. I’d love to have the ability to comprehend and speak other languages as well. I’m in awe of people who can master several. I learned to read and write Spanish, but hearing and speaking were beyond my ability.
Think about it and see if you don’t have a little magic of your own!
Awww, thank you, Annette! But that’s something we probably ought to consider–that we all have talents that seem magical to others. I’d love to have the ability to comprehend and speak other languages as well. I’m in awe of people who can master several. I learned to read and write Spanish, but hearing and speaking were beyond my ability.
Think about it and see if you don’t have a little magic of your own!
I would love to be able to teleport objects. That way you would be able to retrieve items that you’ve left behind somewhere, or get things that you forgot at home, without turning the car around!
I would love to be able to teleport objects. That way you would be able to retrieve items that you’ve left behind somewhere, or get things that you forgot at home, without turning the car around!
I would love to be able to teleport objects. That way you would be able to retrieve items that you’ve left behind somewhere, or get things that you forgot at home, without turning the car around!
I would love to be able to teleport objects. That way you would be able to retrieve items that you’ve left behind somewhere, or get things that you forgot at home, without turning the car around!
I would love to be able to teleport objects. That way you would be able to retrieve items that you’ve left behind somewhere, or get things that you forgot at home, without turning the car around!
Yeah, I can’t do audio either. But I love that we can adjust the print size on ebooks!
Yeah, I can’t do audio either. But I love that we can adjust the print size on ebooks!
Yeah, I can’t do audio either. But I love that we can adjust the print size on ebooks!
Yeah, I can’t do audio either. But I love that we can adjust the print size on ebooks!
Yeah, I can’t do audio either. But I love that we can adjust the print size on ebooks!
I really want to be able to teleport myself though. I hate airports!
I really want to be able to teleport myself though. I hate airports!
I really want to be able to teleport myself though. I hate airports!
I really want to be able to teleport myself though. I hate airports!
I really want to be able to teleport myself though. I hate airports!
The gift of languages. I created a language savant in an SF series (although not everyone twigged to it–if I ever do a sequel, they will) and am going to use a form of it in this fantasy for a particular species’ rarest members.
Not just vocabulary and grammar, but actual cultural understanding. Always my first choice!
The gift of languages. I created a language savant in an SF series (although not everyone twigged to it–if I ever do a sequel, they will) and am going to use a form of it in this fantasy for a particular species’ rarest members.
Not just vocabulary and grammar, but actual cultural understanding. Always my first choice!
The gift of languages. I created a language savant in an SF series (although not everyone twigged to it–if I ever do a sequel, they will) and am going to use a form of it in this fantasy for a particular species’ rarest members.
Not just vocabulary and grammar, but actual cultural understanding. Always my first choice!
The gift of languages. I created a language savant in an SF series (although not everyone twigged to it–if I ever do a sequel, they will) and am going to use a form of it in this fantasy for a particular species’ rarest members.
Not just vocabulary and grammar, but actual cultural understanding. Always my first choice!
The gift of languages. I created a language savant in an SF series (although not everyone twigged to it–if I ever do a sequel, they will) and am going to use a form of it in this fantasy for a particular species’ rarest members.
Not just vocabulary and grammar, but actual cultural understanding. Always my first choice!
There ought to be a way of implanting the gift of languages into the brain!
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
There ought to be a way of implanting the gift of languages into the brain!
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
There ought to be a way of implanting the gift of languages into the brain!
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
There ought to be a way of implanting the gift of languages into the brain!
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
There ought to be a way of implanting the gift of languages into the brain!
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
I think I would like the ability to detect illness in people and to know what to do to aid or cure them. I have a daughter who is an animal communicator and she finds lost animals, can find the source of pain, and when she is working with her rescue group, can determine what type of environment is best for the animal’s placement. I do believe in extra-sensory abilities and am glad I grew up with a mom who had them.
I think I would like the ability to detect illness in people and to know what to do to aid or cure them. I have a daughter who is an animal communicator and she finds lost animals, can find the source of pain, and when she is working with her rescue group, can determine what type of environment is best for the animal’s placement. I do believe in extra-sensory abilities and am glad I grew up with a mom who had them.
I think I would like the ability to detect illness in people and to know what to do to aid or cure them. I have a daughter who is an animal communicator and she finds lost animals, can find the source of pain, and when she is working with her rescue group, can determine what type of environment is best for the animal’s placement. I do believe in extra-sensory abilities and am glad I grew up with a mom who had them.
I think I would like the ability to detect illness in people and to know what to do to aid or cure them. I have a daughter who is an animal communicator and she finds lost animals, can find the source of pain, and when she is working with her rescue group, can determine what type of environment is best for the animal’s placement. I do believe in extra-sensory abilities and am glad I grew up with a mom who had them.
I think I would like the ability to detect illness in people and to know what to do to aid or cure them. I have a daughter who is an animal communicator and she finds lost animals, can find the source of pain, and when she is working with her rescue group, can determine what type of environment is best for the animal’s placement. I do believe in extra-sensory abilities and am glad I grew up with a mom who had them.
Thats marvelous on your daughters talent. You may be a Malcolm descendant! The ability to heal… would be so wonderful.
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
Thats marvelous on your daughters talent. You may be a Malcolm descendant! The ability to heal… would be so wonderful.
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
Thats marvelous on your daughters talent. You may be a Malcolm descendant! The ability to heal… would be so wonderful.
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
Thats marvelous on your daughters talent. You may be a Malcolm descendant! The ability to heal… would be so wonderful.
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com
Thats marvelous on your daughters talent. You may be a Malcolm descendant! The ability to heal… would be so wonderful.
Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com