What do you think?
Enchanted, Inc. #0.5
Criminal Enchantment: An Enchanted, Inc. Short Story
Before Katie met Owen, the Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., team already had a job to do.
There’s spellcasting skullduggery at work in Manhattan, and Sam the gargoyle is on the case. This time, the shady spells look awfully familiar, like the work of outcast wizard Phelan Idris. There’s just no real evidence of his involvement, and without that, the MSI team can’t do anything to stop him from wreaking magical havoc in the city. To track the criminal enchantments back to their source, Sam will have to rally his security gargoyle pals, do some old-fashioned sleuthing, and keep his wizard friend Owen Palmer focused on the case instead of on that cute girl he spotted at the bookstore.
See the events that lead up to the beginning of Enchanted, Inc. in this Enchanted Universe novelette.
There’s spellcasting skullduggery at work in Manhattan, and Sam the gargoyle is on the case. This time, the shady spells look awfully familiar, like the work of outcast wizard Phelan Idris. There’s just no real evidence of his involvement, and without that, the MSI team can’t do anything to stop him from wreaking magical havoc in the city. To track the criminal enchantments back to their source, Sam will have to rally his security gargoyle pals, do some old-fashioned sleuthing, and keep his wizard friend Owen Palmer focused on the case instead of on that cute girl he spotted at the bookstore.
See the events that lead up to the beginning of Enchanted, Inc. in this Enchanted Universe novelette.
55 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2017
About the author
Shanna Swendson
42 books1,148 followersOnce upon a time ...
A little girl learned to amuse herself by making up stories in her head. She turned everyday activities into exciting adventures, and she made up new adventures for characters from her favorite movies, TV shows and books. Then one day she realized that if she wrote down those stories, she'd have a book! But that was crazy, she thought. Real people don't become novelists. That was like deciding you were going to be a movie star. You couldn't just go and do it.
But, it turns out, you can, and she did. She realized her dream of becoming a novelist and seeing her stories in bookstores.
And then she started to wig herself out by writing about herself in the third-person.
This is her story.
The Novelist's Journey
As I said above in that bit of silliness, I've always been a writer at heart. My favorite way to play was to create stories and act them out with my Fisher-Price people, my Barbie dolls or myself and a box of play clothes. If none of those things were available, I could just sit and make up stories in my head. I occasionally got into trouble for being a little too creative, such as the time when I embellished a bit on my kindergarten experiences (where's the dramatic hook in coloring, cutting out and pasting?).
When I was in seventh grade and a bit old for Fisher-Price people, Barbie dolls or the dress-up box, I started writing these stories down in spiral notebooks. Later, I found an old manual typewriter, taught myself to type, then wrote a lot of first chapters of novels on it. I still hadn't figured out how to actually be a working novelist who gets paid for writing (finishing a book instead of writing a lot of first chapters might have been a good start), so when it came time to go to college, I went to journalism school at the University of Texas. While getting my degree in broadcast news, I managed to structure a curriculum that might also help me in my real career plans. I took fencing (which I thought would be useful for writing fantasy novels), an astronomy course on the search for extraterrestrial life (in case I wanted to write science fiction), psychology, interpersonal communication, and parageography (the geography of imaginary lands).
I got serious about pursuing my novel-writing ambitions soon after I got my first job in public relations (TV reporting, it turns out, would have taken away from my writing time) when I started joining local writing organizations and reading books on how to write a novel. Then I took the big step of registering for a writing conference. With the registration fee, you could enter two manuscripts in a contest that went with the conference. I figured if I was paying that much money, I'd get the most out of it, so I wrote two entries. At the conference, I met a real, live editor, who encouraged me to submit, and one of my entries won the science fiction/fantasy category of the contest. I hurried to finish the novel the editor had asked for, then mailed a proposal.
She ended up rejecting the book, but encouraged me to keep trying. I ended up selling that novel elsewhere, then sold two more books to that publisher before I had another idea for that original editor. That book ended up selling, and then one more.
And then I hit the wall. Due to a number of circumstances, some of which weren't my fault and some of which were, I didn't sell anything else for eight years. But then I had the idea that became Enchanted, Inc., I wrote it, sold it, and here I am.
Other Life Stuff
I think I need to get a few more hobbies or something else going on in my life that isn't related to reading or writing because currently my bio in my books is shorter than the "about the typeface" section. Yes, a typeface has a more interesting life than I do.
When I'm not writing, I'm most often reading. Otherwise, I enjoy watching science fiction TV shows and then discussing them on the Internet, working crossw
A little girl learned to amuse herself by making up stories in her head. She turned everyday activities into exciting adventures, and she made up new adventures for characters from her favorite movies, TV shows and books. Then one day she realized that if she wrote down those stories, she'd have a book! But that was crazy, she thought. Real people don't become novelists. That was like deciding you were going to be a movie star. You couldn't just go and do it.
But, it turns out, you can, and she did. She realized her dream of becoming a novelist and seeing her stories in bookstores.
And then she started to wig herself out by writing about herself in the third-person.
This is her story.
The Novelist's Journey
As I said above in that bit of silliness, I've always been a writer at heart. My favorite way to play was to create stories and act them out with my Fisher-Price people, my Barbie dolls or myself and a box of play clothes. If none of those things were available, I could just sit and make up stories in my head. I occasionally got into trouble for being a little too creative, such as the time when I embellished a bit on my kindergarten experiences (where's the dramatic hook in coloring, cutting out and pasting?).
When I was in seventh grade and a bit old for Fisher-Price people, Barbie dolls or the dress-up box, I started writing these stories down in spiral notebooks. Later, I found an old manual typewriter, taught myself to type, then wrote a lot of first chapters of novels on it. I still hadn't figured out how to actually be a working novelist who gets paid for writing (finishing a book instead of writing a lot of first chapters might have been a good start), so when it came time to go to college, I went to journalism school at the University of Texas. While getting my degree in broadcast news, I managed to structure a curriculum that might also help me in my real career plans. I took fencing (which I thought would be useful for writing fantasy novels), an astronomy course on the search for extraterrestrial life (in case I wanted to write science fiction), psychology, interpersonal communication, and parageography (the geography of imaginary lands).
I got serious about pursuing my novel-writing ambitions soon after I got my first job in public relations (TV reporting, it turns out, would have taken away from my writing time) when I started joining local writing organizations and reading books on how to write a novel. Then I took the big step of registering for a writing conference. With the registration fee, you could enter two manuscripts in a contest that went with the conference. I figured if I was paying that much money, I'd get the most out of it, so I wrote two entries. At the conference, I met a real, live editor, who encouraged me to submit, and one of my entries won the science fiction/fantasy category of the contest. I hurried to finish the novel the editor had asked for, then mailed a proposal.
She ended up rejecting the book, but encouraged me to keep trying. I ended up selling that novel elsewhere, then sold two more books to that publisher before I had another idea for that original editor. That book ended up selling, and then one more.
And then I hit the wall. Due to a number of circumstances, some of which weren't my fault and some of which were, I didn't sell anything else for eight years. But then I had the idea that became Enchanted, Inc., I wrote it, sold it, and here I am.
Other Life Stuff
I think I need to get a few more hobbies or something else going on in my life that isn't related to reading or writing because currently my bio in my books is shorter than the "about the typeface" section. Yes, a typeface has a more interesting life than I do.
When I'm not writing, I'm most often reading. Otherwise, I enjoy watching science fiction TV shows and then discussing them on the Internet, working crossw
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 9, 2023
Cute short read. It was nice to see how Owen was watching Katie and to confirm he actually liked her. Book 1 hints to his liking her, but his actions didn't really portray it.
This story is told from Sam's (the gargoyle) perspective.
This story is told from Sam's (the gargoyle) perspective.
October 19, 2018
informative novella!
so this is how it all began ... cute!
January 28, 2020
Damn it! Now I have to read the entire series again. Actually, I guess I should say, "Yay! I have to read the entire series again." The Enchanted Inc series is the most fun I've had reading in a long time and I haven't found its equal since. It's a wonderfully magical world that exists in plain sight, that is, to those who are immune to magic. Katie Chandler is one such person. Fresh from Texas to New York, she dismisses much of what she sees as New Yorkers being a tad bit "weird."
This story takes place before the series starts. We see how she was discovered by MSI Inc (Magic, Spells, and Illusions Inc). Although I enjoyed reading this short story, I would not recommend reading it before Book #1, simply titled Enchanted Inc. I don't know if you can get the true flavor of the series from this short story. It's written from the perspective of Sam, the gargoyle. I'm sorry to say, Sam is not nearly as fun or captivating as Katie Chandler. Even so, it was a good read.
Here's my problem. I finished Book #8 (Frogs and Kisses) two and a half years ago. I just picked up this story and Book #9 (Enchanted Ever After). I was going to just read this story and jump right into Book #9, but now I'm tempted to read the entire series all over again. Actually, "compelled" might be a better word. But if I think about it, that's actually a good thing. Very few books have come close to this series, so what the heck - I'm off to read Enchanted Inc, BOOK #1! Yay!
This story takes place before the series starts. We see how she was discovered by MSI Inc (Magic, Spells, and Illusions Inc). Although I enjoyed reading this short story, I would not recommend reading it before Book #1, simply titled Enchanted Inc. I don't know if you can get the true flavor of the series from this short story. It's written from the perspective of Sam, the gargoyle. I'm sorry to say, Sam is not nearly as fun or captivating as Katie Chandler. Even so, it was a good read.
Here's my problem. I finished Book #8 (Frogs and Kisses) two and a half years ago. I just picked up this story and Book #9 (Enchanted Ever After). I was going to just read this story and jump right into Book #9, but now I'm tempted to read the entire series all over again. Actually, "compelled" might be a better word. But if I think about it, that's actually a good thing. Very few books have come close to this series, so what the heck - I'm off to read Enchanted Inc, BOOK #1! Yay!
December 16, 2020
"The name is Sam. I am a Gargoyle. I fight crime." Amusing prequel to the series.
December 29, 2018
Cute. I adore the Enchanted, Inc. series, and Criminal Enchantment gives us a quick look at some of the events in the run-up to the first full book. It's told from the perspective of Sam, everyone's favourite security gargoyle. Nice to see a bit more detail in terms of Sam's abilities (turns out that gargoyles are excellent for stakeouts because they can sit still for a very, very long time—think years, not hours—without risking things like a foot falling asleep...the only real risk is eventually forgetting that one is sentient), though I'd have loved some other more practical details: where does Sam go, and what does he do, when he's not at work? Are there lady gargoyles? How old is Sam, and what did he do pre-MSI? Some of those might be material for a longer book, of course, and I remain more interested in the bigger, Katie-driven story...but this was definitely a fun read.
September 9, 2017
better than first short story author released in these prequels. A little clearer and a little more involved with touch of personalities.
April 9, 2021
These series caught my eye and I wanted a small taste of this universe before I dive right in! I really enjoyed this short introduction and I can't wait to read what happens next!
June 27, 2020
This was a bit of a disappointment, an Enchanted Inc short story from Sam the gargolye's POV with a smattering of Owen and a few glimpses of the heroine to be. It would have been fine as a freebie, but wasn't really worth 99 cents. Now the other Swendson short I read this week Twice Upon a Christmas - and Make Mine Magic - which were what inspired me to pick Enchanted Inc back up after many years.
August 8, 2023
Reading this story was a great way to spend the afternoon. I loved visiting these characters and this world again. This is a prequel to the Enchanted, Inc. series, and after finishing it, I want to go back and reread that whole series! I absolutely loved that this story is told from the perspective of Sam the gargoyle, the chief of security at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. He was one of my favorite characters from the series, so that was a ton of fun! I highly recommend this story! It's a great intro to the series and will appeal to new readers and old alike.
November 18, 2018
Another fun read.
I love this series. I love the creativity and the different way Shanna Swendson presents the magical world. It was fun to see a story from Sam's point of view. And if you have read the novels, it's no guess as to who the smart sassy girl that Owen has an interest in is in this story. I almost wish I were a magical immune myself, so I could see the fairies and elves around me.💗
I love this series. I love the creativity and the different way Shanna Swendson presents the magical world. It was fun to see a story from Sam's point of view. And if you have read the novels, it's no guess as to who the smart sassy girl that Owen has an interest in is in this story. I almost wish I were a magical immune myself, so I could see the fairies and elves around me.💗
July 17, 2022
More of a prequel!
This was strangely enjoyable. It was nice to see the magic from a non human perspective and traditional non shifter gargoyles are even better. I found the premise intriguing and at times funny. It is a shame that the overarching plot seems to lead into the main story rather than stand alone. Though I love the comradely and banter between all those in the team. Am very much looking forward to reading more.
This was strangely enjoyable. It was nice to see the magic from a non human perspective and traditional non shifter gargoyles are even better. I found the premise intriguing and at times funny. It is a shame that the overarching plot seems to lead into the main story rather than stand alone. Though I love the comradely and banter between all those in the team. Am very much looking forward to reading more.
December 27, 2017
Very cute short story based on the Enchanted Inc series. I'm not a big fan of short stories in general but this one told from the standpoint of Sam the head of security for MSI was really cute. Would I have enjoyed it as much if I didn't already have the back story I can't say. I would recommend this short story especially if like me you are missing the MSI team.
June 4, 2020
Great prequel
Best way to fill in gaps and enjoy a little pre-story. Fun to hear it from Sam's perspective and smile at how wonderful this book series was to read. I suggest to anyone who hasn't read the Enchanted Inc Series to start with this book first. Or right after book one so it's not to spoil anything, but help enhance the series
Best way to fill in gaps and enjoy a little pre-story. Fun to hear it from Sam's perspective and smile at how wonderful this book series was to read. I suggest to anyone who hasn't read the Enchanted Inc Series to start with this book first. Or right after book one so it's not to spoil anything, but help enhance the series
November 22, 2017
Prequel to the series gives a start to the series from Owen Palmer's point of view as he sees Katie Chandler for the first time and we see some of the events leading up to her joining MSI. Fun for readers of the series.
July 13, 2020
Great Backstory to Enchanted, Inc
Just saw this book as a recommendation and it reminded me of the series. After reading this I plan to reread the series (at least the 1st book) and then read the next book about Sam the Gargoyle, Painting the Town red.
Just saw this book as a recommendation and it reminded me of the series. After reading this I plan to reread the series (at least the 1st book) and then read the next book about Sam the Gargoyle, Painting the Town red.
August 21, 2017
I enjoy these short stories in the enchanted inc world. It was fun to see how Owen first noticed Katie and how he was already crushing on her before he ever spoke to her!
February 2, 2018
A sweet short novella. I've recently read the first book in the series, so before I continued, I wanted to see how it all started. Read it in about half an hour.
August 11, 2018
Magically fun
I'd give this book a five star review but it ended too soon. I understand it's a short story but I just can't help it... it's fun and I want more.
I'd give this book a five star review but it ended too soon. I understand it's a short story but I just can't help it... it's fun and I want more.
December 17, 2020
Cute
A fun start to this fun series. It has been a while since I read the books when I stumbled across this, but it was like catching up to an old friend.
A fun start to this fun series. It has been a while since I read the books when I stumbled across this, but it was like catching up to an old friend.
May 6, 2022
Another Enchanted short story, this one a prequel to the series. I liked it. Sam is a great character to tell this story.
October 14, 2022
Prequel to the Enchanted, Inc series.
It was perfect and Sam is such a fun character to be reading from his perspective.
I also love that we get the first glimpse of how Owen and Katie met!
It was perfect and Sam is such a fun character to be reading from his perspective.
I also love that we get the first glimpse of how Owen and Katie met!
May 23, 2023
Good background. Too short.
August 14, 2024
I enjoy seeing the start of everything and how Owen first noticed Katie.
August 16, 2024
Cute and short! We get to see how Owen met his crush, and also discovered she's an immune and decided to recruit her.
September 2, 2017
A cute beginning
A short and sweet "how we all got here" short story that takes place directly before the events of Enchanted, Inc. My only issue was the Sam sounded a touch off from the books.
A short and sweet "how we all got here" short story that takes place directly before the events of Enchanted, Inc. My only issue was the Sam sounded a touch off from the books.
August 18, 2017
Like many prequels, this doesn't stand well on its own. Still, it was fun to see the magical world from an insider's point of view and it does a good job of showing why Katie was so valuable to them.
August 28, 2017
Ms. Swendson book was, as usual, quite entertaining. She never disappoints!
October 11, 2017
Nice back story
It is a fast read and gives a new point of view. I like the rest of the series so it was nice to hear about Owen from so done else's view point.
It is a fast read and gives a new point of view. I like the rest of the series so it was nice to hear about Owen from so done else's view point.
November 5, 2017
Excellent short story
I've read the Enchanted, Inc. series and was thrilled to find this little story that adds some new details to the events of the first book.
I've read the Enchanted, Inc. series and was thrilled to find this little story that adds some new details to the events of the first book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews