Welcome to the world of John Bellairs: where shy and lonely children befriend eccentric adults, where heroic and wicked wizards warble spells, where talismans tick and grimoires are thick, and where villains of the darkest order dwell. Plus mansions and mirrors and riddles in rhyme and a rusty old streetcar that goes back in time. Where baseball gets played by all sorts of fans, and where three young boys stop the nastiest of plans. All this and more are the product of the wonderful imagination of John Bellairs.

As longtime fans, we had always wondered what made this man tick (sort of like that Izard clock) and so - ten years ago - we thought, on a whim, we might give finding out a try. And what a whirl it's been since. With little clue as to what we were doing, and unsure if anything would even be uncovered, our project started with one email and has since blossomed into the behemoth it is now - something we didn't originally set out to create.

We've had the privilege to talk with – and meet in person – some of John's friends during our first seven years. A grateful nod of appreciation to Priscilla Bellairs, Alfred Myers, Charles Bowen, Marilyn and Dale Fitschen, Brad Strickland, Pat Thomas, John Murphy, Gerald Kadish, and the many others that have helped us along the way.

We invite you to take some time to learn about John's life and work: from his novels and his colorful characters to the places he called home during his lifetime. You can visit some of his inspirations in his hometown of Marshall, find out about him quoting Chaucer on national television, and learn about the rise of the "famous author." Elsewhere there's an in-depth timeline, reviews and testimonies from fans, information about Brad Strickland and a small tribute to Edward Gorey, as well as our annotated St. Fidgeta project.

Cheers!