What have you all been reading this summer? I’ve been trying to catch up on my YA fantasy stack and I’ve been so pleased with what I’ve read.

So much wonder! It’s one of my favorite elements in a fantasy novel.

The circus that appears out of nowhere in Erin Morgenstern’s NIGHT CIRCUS. Scarlett’s self-aware gown in Stephanie Garber’s CARAVAL. The books that titter and feel and wreak havoc in Margaret Rogerson’s SORCERY OF THORNS.

And, of course, JK Rowling does this so well in the Harry Potter books. Magical maps and puking pastilles that get the Hogwarts students out of class. A willow tree that attacks and a clock that tracks the whereabouts of an entire family. All of it designed to enchant and fill the reader with a sense of wonder.

I Love Magic GIF - ILoveMagic Magical Magic GIFs

With a little practice, I bet you can unlock some of that magic inside your head. Let’s give it a go, yes?

I’ll give you a paragraph opening and I’d like you to continue on, writing a snippet that includes some bit of wonder. Something of your own making, if you can. You may need to think on it a bit before you get going, but your paragraph doesn’t need to be a long one. Just enough to give us a splash of your awe-inspiring creativity.

Think you can do it?

I bet you can.

Leave your response here in the comments section and be sure to come back to see what your friends have come up with. Here’s that paragraph opening:

I expected to be overwhelmed on my first day of high school, but nothing could have prepared me for . . .

Now! Off you go! Give me a paragraph full of wonder!

Shannon Dittemore is an author and speaker. Her books include the Angel Eyes trilogy, a supernatural foray into the realm of angels and demons, as well as the fantastical adventure novel Winter, White and Wicked. Its sequel, Rebel, Brave and Brutal is due out January 10, 2023.

Shannon’s stories feature strong female leads grappling with fear and faith as they venture into the wilds of the unknown. She’s often wondered if she’s writing her own quest for bravery again and again.

It’s a choice she values highly. Bravery. And she’s never more inspired than when young people ball up their fist and punch fear in the face.

To that end, Shannon takes great joy in working with young writers, both in person and online at Go Teen Writers, an instructional blog recognized by Writer’s Digest four years running as a “101 Best Websites for Writers” selection.

For more about Shannon and her books, please visit her websiteInstagramFacebookTwitter, and Pinterest.