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Line Magic
What if the world could change with the stroke of a pencil?
Nicky True discovered his extraordinary gift at a young age—the ability to make his drawings come to life. As a child, he could sketch a lopsided apple into perfection, but the magic was fleeting, and the image reverted to its flawed form. Now, as an old man sitting at his kitchen table, where he once taught his daughter Jo to draw, he’s determined to tell the story of his life’s greatest secret—before it’s lost forever.
Spanning seventy years of art, wonder, and heartbreak, Nicky's journey reveals how the power of imagination can reshape reality itself. From the simple joy of a child discovering shapes and colors to the bittersweet memories of love and loss, Line Magic explores the delicate balance between creating perfection and accepting imperfection.
Nicky’s gift is both a blessing and a curse, and his story is one of artistic obsession, a father's love, and a legacy he hopes to pass on to his daughter, Jo. As he confronts the limits of his own magic and the ticking clock of time, Nicky must come to terms with the price of his talent and the impact it has had on those he loves most.
Kris Faatz’s novel is a heartfelt tribute to the creative spirit and a meditation on the lines that shape our lives. Line Magic will remind you that sometimes the most beautiful creations are the ones that don't last forever.
Can one man’s art change the world, or does the magic lie in the act of creation itself?
Nicky True discovered his extraordinary gift at a young age—the ability to make his drawings come to life. As a child, he could sketch a lopsided apple into perfection, but the magic was fleeting, and the image reverted to its flawed form. Now, as an old man sitting at his kitchen table, where he once taught his daughter Jo to draw, he’s determined to tell the story of his life’s greatest secret—before it’s lost forever.
Spanning seventy years of art, wonder, and heartbreak, Nicky's journey reveals how the power of imagination can reshape reality itself. From the simple joy of a child discovering shapes and colors to the bittersweet memories of love and loss, Line Magic explores the delicate balance between creating perfection and accepting imperfection.
Nicky’s gift is both a blessing and a curse, and his story is one of artistic obsession, a father's love, and a legacy he hopes to pass on to his daughter, Jo. As he confronts the limits of his own magic and the ticking clock of time, Nicky must come to terms with the price of his talent and the impact it has had on those he loves most.
Kris Faatz’s novel is a heartfelt tribute to the creative spirit and a meditation on the lines that shape our lives. Line Magic will remind you that sometimes the most beautiful creations are the ones that don't last forever.
Can one man’s art change the world, or does the magic lie in the act of creation itself?
354 pages, Paperback
Published May 11, 2025
3 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Kris Faatz
9 books6 followersKris Faatz (rhymes with skates) is a fiction writer and musician. Her first novel, To Love A Stranger, was a finalist for the 2016 Schaffner Press Music in Literature Award and was released May 2017 by Blue Moon Publishers (Toronto, ON). Her second novel, literary fantasy Fourteen Stones, was released by The Patchwork Raven (Wellington, NZ) in January 2023.
Kris’s short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in journals including Typehouse Magazine, Streetlight Magazine, and NELLE, and has received recognition in various competitions, most recently being longlisted for Dzanc Books's 2022 Disquiet Prize. She teaches creative writing with Tiferet Journal, the Community College of Baltimore County, and Baltimore Bridges, and is a regular presenter at the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference, run by Maryland’s Eastern Shore Writers Association. She is also a performing pianist.
Kris's favorite authors include Terry Pratchett, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Richard Adams, Susanna Clarke, Christopher Moore, and Neil Gaiman. She loves hiking and exploring the outdoors. She and her husband, jazz saxophonist and composer Paul Faatz, are "staff" to a family of three cats.
Kris’s short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in journals including Typehouse Magazine, Streetlight Magazine, and NELLE, and has received recognition in various competitions, most recently being longlisted for Dzanc Books's 2022 Disquiet Prize. She teaches creative writing with Tiferet Journal, the Community College of Baltimore County, and Baltimore Bridges, and is a regular presenter at the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference, run by Maryland’s Eastern Shore Writers Association. She is also a performing pianist.
Kris's favorite authors include Terry Pratchett, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Richard Adams, Susanna Clarke, Christopher Moore, and Neil Gaiman. She loves hiking and exploring the outdoors. She and her husband, jazz saxophonist and composer Paul Faatz, are "staff" to a family of three cats.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 21, 2025
A mesmoring work. I don't know what I expected, but this wholesome, remarkably readable and emotive story hooked me and kept me all the way through. I was spellbound, and not, if I'm being honest, all because of the magic. It's not one of the hard-hitting thrillers, out-there sci-fi stories or new fantasy worlds. But it shines light on important things in a clever way that worms its way into your brain and makes you think about things. Highly recommended.
September 13, 2025
Nicky likes to draw and he has an unusual talent for affecting the real world with his drawing. It's real magic, which he keeps hidden from most people. He works in the movies, touching up scenes so they appear perfectly on film. When he's called home to the east coast to see his sick mother and help take care of his crippled younger brother, Nicky is forced to face the difficult pieces of his past, and find a real purpose for his art...and his magic.
I found this a sweet, heartwarming story of loss, love, and standing up to 'how the world is', because 'maybe it doesn't have to be that way'. The story takes place during/around World War 2, mostly in New York. Nicky couldn't enlist when everybody else did, and we get his shame of not going along with his friend's trauma from going. We get a lot of segregation and this team's righteous anger at the way black staff or friends are treated (which is a large part of the story). It is rather a story of racism and finding ways to improve the world around you.
I had a bit of a hard time with Nicky. I liked his character overall and thought his growth well done. But not once does he consider getting a job that doesn't use his magic. He hates using his magic on the ads, but it's the only job he even applies to. He doesn't try to work more with his 'regular' art. Then later he is completely unconcerned with breaking a contract and possibly not having a job...as someone with dependents, he should have had a backup plan.
Also, the ways he uses his magic (until the end) is extremely limited. He literally has the power to ALTER REALITY—at least physical things, at least for a short period of time. Think of all the amazing (or dangerous) things you could do with that. Stop someone bleeding? Take enemy airplanes out of the air? ...Maybe it was good the author didn't try to address the potential of his power!
I liked the way the book was written, from the perspective of Nicky as an old man, looking back on this pivotal time of his life. The editing was good, the physical book is really nice.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read your lovely story!
I found this a sweet, heartwarming story of loss, love, and standing up to 'how the world is', because 'maybe it doesn't have to be that way'. The story takes place during/around World War 2, mostly in New York. Nicky couldn't enlist when everybody else did, and we get his shame of not going along with his friend's trauma from going. We get a lot of segregation and this team's righteous anger at the way black staff or friends are treated (which is a large part of the story). It is rather a story of racism and finding ways to improve the world around you.
I had a bit of a hard time with Nicky. I liked his character overall and thought his growth well done. But not once does he consider getting a job that doesn't use his magic. He hates using his magic on the ads, but it's the only job he even applies to. He doesn't try to work more with his 'regular' art. Then later he is completely unconcerned with breaking a contract and possibly not having a job...as someone with dependents, he should have had a backup plan.
Also, the ways he uses his magic (until the end) is extremely limited. He literally has the power to ALTER REALITY—at least physical things, at least for a short period of time. Think of all the amazing (or dangerous) things you could do with that. Stop someone bleeding? Take enemy airplanes out of the air? ...Maybe it was good the author didn't try to address the potential of his power!
I liked the way the book was written, from the perspective of Nicky as an old man, looking back on this pivotal time of his life. The editing was good, the physical book is really nice.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read your lovely story!
September 4, 2025
Somewhere between a 3- and 4-star read for me.
I was intrigued by the concept of this story and found its unfolding in the beginning stages to be quite beautiful. On the whole, I also liked the authentic feel of the key characters.
Now, I didn't find the story's climax to be fully convincing, for a particular reason. I wasn't sure how Nicky would even imagine that, for any considerable length of time, he might keep certain people from hearing about a major move he decides to make. It seems he would have known that word about something so unusual and astounding would spread fast, and he and his people involved would have specifically planned on that at least a little more.
On a different note, during the middle of the novel, the read began to feel long and to drag somewhat downward for me, partly because Nicky can get rather absorbed in rehearsing his doubts along with his senses of guilt and shame and regret. I didn't find that unrealistic, especially given his hard losses. It's just that after a while, the pattern of his feelings and reactions made the flow of the read a bit repetitive/monotonous to me, also making various points more predictable than I would have liked.
On a certain level, however, Nicky is aware of his own absorption. So the contrast is meaningful when he does get outside of himself more.
I appreciate how he ultimately does that, along with the compelling question he leaves with his audiences—including his readers.
Note:
• some profanity, including a couple of "deity swears"; no appearance of the F-word
• theme of racism toward Black Americans but no use of the N-word
• theme of war and mentions of past one-on-one violence but without graphic details
• no explicit sexual content
I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
I was intrigued by the concept of this story and found its unfolding in the beginning stages to be quite beautiful. On the whole, I also liked the authentic feel of the key characters.
Now, I didn't find the story's climax to be fully convincing, for a particular reason. I wasn't sure how Nicky would even imagine that, for any considerable length of time, he might keep certain people from hearing about a major move he decides to make. It seems he would have known that word about something so unusual and astounding would spread fast, and he and his people involved would have specifically planned on that at least a little more.
On a different note, during the middle of the novel, the read began to feel long and to drag somewhat downward for me, partly because Nicky can get rather absorbed in rehearsing his doubts along with his senses of guilt and shame and regret. I didn't find that unrealistic, especially given his hard losses. It's just that after a while, the pattern of his feelings and reactions made the flow of the read a bit repetitive/monotonous to me, also making various points more predictable than I would have liked.
On a certain level, however, Nicky is aware of his own absorption. So the contrast is meaningful when he does get outside of himself more.
I appreciate how he ultimately does that, along with the compelling question he leaves with his audiences—including his readers.
Note:
• some profanity, including a couple of "deity swears"; no appearance of the F-word
• theme of racism toward Black Americans but no use of the N-word
• theme of war and mentions of past one-on-one violence but without graphic details
• no explicit sexual content
I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
June 11, 2025
Simply remarkable. There’s not much more a reader can hope for than a uniquely original story, and Kris Faatz has done it again with Line Magic. This beautiful story is a fictional memoir of sorts by Nicky True - a man who can make magic with his drawings. Join Nicky as he reflects on a life of love, loss, and ultimately - and beautifully - finding purpose. Line Magic is a place where history meets fantasy; dreams become reality; and if you’re open to it… you might just find a little magic for yourself, too. Brilliant.
August 27, 2025
The writing in this is beautiful, it feels like you’re immersed right there in time with the characters.
The main character was complex and compelling. I really enjoyed him narrating it right to the reader like he was just telling stories about his life.
This has some of the best analogies ive ever seen in a book. They were so clever. Such a beautiful read.
Thank you to the author for the signed book and the cute little book mark it came with.
The main character was complex and compelling. I really enjoyed him narrating it right to the reader like he was just telling stories about his life.
This has some of the best analogies ive ever seen in a book. They were so clever. Such a beautiful read.
Thank you to the author for the signed book and the cute little book mark it came with.
July 2, 2025
I can hardly contain my enthusiasm for this book. Kris Faatz has a magic all her own and it is telling a wonderful story.
July 18, 2025
Just Magical. Definitely one of the rare books to SAVOR instead of rushing through. Bravo, Kris!
September 7, 2025
Beautifully written. This story is from the perspective of an elderly gentleman who has the power to temporarily transform objects and people through art. Yet, that is not the story.
September 19, 2025
between a 3 and 4 star read. Very likable characters.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews