Many articles focus on Harry Potter's huge success. This one will focus on how anyone will out-do the hit series?

So, how will anyone accomplish this massive feat?

This is a quesiton that is being batted around by publishers, agents, authors and readers alike. I am sure it is a question that Scholastic has asked in recent times. For anyone to challenge the throne of the queen of fantasy they will have to incorporate a number of aspects to even come close to the monumental success of the Harry Potter franchise.

Here are the aspects they will have to incorporate:

ASPECT #1 - THEY WILL BE AN INSPIRED WRITER WITH SOME TALENT

The author that will take the throne from J. K. Rowling will have to be inspired with a story that will rival Harry Potter. It will have to be a literary masterpiece that has all of the ingredients to succeed on all plateaus. The writing will have to be both simplistic for the young readers and sophisticated for the older readers. It will have to weave humor with sincerity, intelligence with clichés, mysticism with magic and intrigue with adventure. This new writer will have to have the ability to morph their style to transcend the minds of the readers and bring them into the literary patchwork of children's fairy tales of the twenty first century. It will have to stand the test of criticism and the welcome of praise. Will such a story unfold and surpass the greatest of our time?

How about a series that chronicles the adventures of Merlin's Grandson called Bacon Finnegan And The Relics of Merlin? Crafted in an interesting futuristic setting with many historical overtones, it is complete with Indiana Jones like adventure, searching for seven relics that Merlin has hidden for his grandson-Bacon Finnegan. The high-concept storyline is a mixture of Harry Potter , The Bartimaeus Trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Add to that a sprinkling of Charlie Bone, a pinch of Eragon, and a spoon full of the hit U.S. television show Quantum Leap and you have that potential for overthrowing the queen of fantasy.

ASPECT #2 - THEY WILL HAVE A PROTAGONIST WITH A UNIQUE NAME

The name of the character that will beat Harry Potter will have to be uniquely interesting and something that identifies this new character. When you read a name, what is it that captures your imagination? Harry Potter. Not so unique but in its commonality it has become a widely known, popularized name. Other names that authors have created are: Artemis Fowl, Septimus Heap, Charlie Bone, Eragon and Gregor the Overlander. Some of these names are unique, some are just as common but all capture the imagination and characterization of their creator.

How about BACON FINNEGAN as a unique name for a character? It sounds powerful yet interesting. It is an intriguing first name, yet a more common last name. Anyway, who would name someone after a crispy piece of meat?

ASPECT #3 - IT WILL BE A STORY WITH LIKEABLE CHARACTERS

Like Harry Potter, the next great series will have to have a supporting cast that will create a kind of dynamic brilliance between the characters and the storyline. Their emotions and actions will have to be believable yet unpredictable at times. The Harry Potter series appeals to boys and girls because of its diverse, likeable characters.

BACON FINNEGAN AND THE RELICS OF MERLIN will have six male and female main characters that are engaging and believable. Their diversity will appeal to a wide audience crossing genders and age barriers. Like Harry Potter, they will be a part of each book in the series.

BACON FINNEGAN: Age 13. Bacon is the adopted son of the cargo master of the starship Ruby Darton a supply ship for the United Intergalactic Federation. John Finnegan adopted him before he turned one year old from a penal planet. At age five, his adopted parents had a child of their own and pushed Bacon aside. They placed him in the corner of the cargo hold to live alone. Feeling guilty, John bought him a Companion Learning System Android to give Bacon some companionship and take care of him.

MICHALKA ST. CLAIR: Age 12. Michalka is the eldest daughter of Boston St. Clair who is captain of the starship Ruby Darton. She has two younger sisters and is always looking after them. They pretty much have run of the ship and do anything they wish. You could say she has it all. She is smart, pretty and talented. Her talent and energy has led her to master the ancient art of Ballet and achieve a black belt in Karate.

INAPSIS ST. CLAIR: Age 8. She is the middle child of the three St. Clair girls. Trapped in the middle she is never the first or the last to do anything. Her older sister Michalka is the perfect, overachiever and Pruitt as the "Baby" of the family. Because of this, she is overlooked by her father and has to compensate with a strong personality to be recognized or heard. Inapsis is very mighty in will and physical strength.

PRUITT ST. CLAIR: Age 6. The youngest of the three sisters she also possesses a strong personality, smarts and good looks. Pruitt is a mirror image to her oldest sister. If they were born at the same time, they could be twins. At times, she tries to outperform her sisters. Other times, she is more laid back than the other two. This comes from being the youngest and having two older siblings to do things for her.

REGINALD P. FLANNERY: Age 11. Reggie is shy around others. He becomes more open with those he trusts and knows. He has built up a good friendship with the St. Clair girls and is always hanging around them, when he is not studying or reading. He uses his knowledge to out-do or impress those he meets.

IQ32 (Companion System Learning Android): IQ32 looks just like you or me. Nevertheless, under his skin he is a robot. His primary function is to serve children as a learning companion. His secondary function is to be their friend and confidant. IQ32 has a strange past. Somewhere his programming became faulty. Frequently he spouts out strange clichés that rarely make sense and when they do make sense they are witty, pertinent and sometimes create problems.

ASPECT #4 - IT WILL HAVE A GREAT PLOT

Harry Potter has interested all age groups with a great plot. J. K. Rowling has created a brilliant character in Harry Potter as the "The Boy Who Lived" and entices readers with a fairy-tale realm full of wizards, magic, the ability to fly, wondrous monsters and mythical creatures. The storyline of the series starts with book one where Lord Voldemort kills Harry's mother and father. He attempts to kill Harry with a deadly killing curse but the spell rebounds off the toddler's head and destroys Voldemort's body. Voldemort's spirit is left intact-he is neither dead nor alive.

The book opens with the Wizarding world celebrating "The one who lived," and the demise of the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. Rubeus Hagrid a "half-giant" places Young Harry Potter on the doorsteps of the Dursley's who are his only living relatives. Harry grows up with the horrible Dursley's who treat him like a slave. They force him to live in a small, cramped cupboard under the stairs. On his twelfth birthday, Hargid visits Harry and invites him to come to Hogwarts to begin his tutorage in wizardry. There he learns to use magic, brew potions and becomes part of the Quidditch team.

Meanwhile Lord Voldemort's spirit is seeking a way to return. While using another's body he searches for the philosopher's stone which will give him great power and aid him in his quest for immortality.

In the end of the first book, Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord and thwarts his plans on obtaining the stone.

Any book series that will rival Harry Potter will have to have an exciting plot filled with mysticism, adventure, reality and fantastical twists and turns. There is one such book coming out:

Bacon Finnegan And The Relics of Merlin: The Sword of Elements

Bacon Finnegan, is Merlin's lost grandson-he just doesn't know it yet.

In fact, Bacon Finnegan isn't even his real name; he was stolen, abandoned, then adopted at infancy. He is a quiet child ignored by his adoptive parents who lives in the cargo hold of the Starship Ruby Darton.

But Bacon's life changes when he finds a teleportation watch and transports himself, his four new friends and his android to a mysterious planet. Here, Bacon's identity is revealed and his magical abilities are unleashed.

Armed with his watch, a data chip of spells, and a magical pouch, Bacon embarks on a task to find seven hidden relics of Merlin and uncover the secret of the mysterious lost city.

Standing in his way is a powerful Warlock that is out to kill him and his friends. It is in this time of struggle that Bacon uncovers his deepest power-the ability to stop time and visit the present, past and future. Will this newfound gift propel him towards his destiny or destroy all of those around him?

ASPECT #5 - IT WILL FALL INTO SEVERAL CLASSIFICATIONS AND HAVE MASS APPEAL

Much like Harry Potter the next great series will have to cross multiple genres as well as transcend age groups. Harry Potter brilliantly combines mystery with satire, adventure with fantasy and social science with children's fairy tales. It excels in each genre while mixing them together into one complete story. All aged groups from eight year olds to eighty five year olds and everywhere in between embrace it.

The next great novel series will have to have the same mass appeal.

BACON FINNEGAN can accomplish that. It is full of wit, charm, excitement and realism. The political and social structures of the people Bacon encounters, on the planets his adventures take him, give the storyline an added dimension. The use of historical overtones, ancient civilizations and mythological references produces a well-rounded dynamic storyline. The storyline mixes the mystery of the seven relics along with the adventure of having to find them. It conforms to the "Good vs. evil" struggle that great epic tales and legendary stories incorporate. Bacon has to fight off supernatural evil forces while his mental fortitude and strength of character challenged. Through this epic quest, friendships are cultivated and rivalries are forged.

• Like Harry Potter, Bacon Finnegan will appeal to a wide range of children and adults. It will also appeal to both boys and girls.

ASPECT #6 - THE STORY WILL BE TOLD IN A SINGLE BOOK BUT LINKED TO A SERIES

Although Harry Potter is a seven book series, each book stands alone. They have a clear-cut start and finish. Each book had its own theme that plays out over the pages and comes to a resolution at the end of each book. The thing that ties the series together is Lord Voldemort. Each book deals with his return to the flesh, his quest for immortality and his want to kill Harry Potter.

The series, Bacon Finnegan And The Relics of Merlin encompasses eight books. Each book takes place on a different planet in the universe. There is a clear-cut start and finish to each storyline. Bacon and the children travel to a new planet and encounter a new culture. The prevalent theme of the series is to find the seven relics and use them to release Merlin from his enchantment on Earth. Each book has multiple facets. First, they have to solve a riddle from the teleportation watch in order for it to work again. This riddle has something to do with helping the people on the planet. They only have 80 hours to solve the riddle and complete its task. Second Bacon has to find the articles hidden for him. He quickly finds out that the riddle and his personal quest link together. Third, as Merlin's grandson he has to learn to use his magical abilities. Fourth, Bacon contends with evil. There are those out there who want him to fail and will do everything within their power to stop him.

• Like Harry Potter, Bacon Finnegan is chalk full of interesting characters, twists, turns, action and adventure.

ASPECT # 7 - IT WILL HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH

Over the seven book series, Harry Potter grows as a character. He deals with many socially relevant issues. He faces many situations and deals with many challenges. First, he deals with the Dursley's treating him like a slave. Next, he has to face his greatest task, assimilating into a new environment at Hogwarts. At Hogwarts, Harry makes new friends and enemies and confronts emotions like friendship, love, hatred, jealousy, ambition, competition, trust, loyalty and bravery. He has to deal with a new order-the governing laws of Hogwarts and its teachers. He realizes that some of the teachers are friendly and some would like to see his demise. Young Harry Potter finally has to deal with something he had faced as an infant, his own mortality.

Bacon Finnegan's life is similar to Harry Potter's. His fantasy world is complete with governing laws, social responsibilities and interaction. Bacon has to deal with being secluded and abandoned. At age five, he is relegated to a makeshift room in the corner of the cargo hold of the Starship Ruby Darton. In his seclusion, he resorts to learning from his CLSA Android IQ32. He masters the art of fencing and with his photographic memory; he takes in a wealth of knowledge form the data files of the ship's computer system. After encountering other children on the ship and teleporting to a mysterious planet, Bacon has to deal with different social circumstances and confronts similar emotions as Harry does. Like Harry, Bacon is cast as a huge underdog. Instead of living up greatness as "The boy who lived" Bacon is tasked with the greatest challenge ever-finding the hidden relics of Merlin. Through his adventures, Bacon experiences emotions like fear, friendship, selfishness, love, courage, hatred, teamwork, and death. He also faces his own mortality.

• Both Harry Potter and Bacon Finnegan are inspiring tales that make a highly relevant social statement.

ASPECT #8 - IT WILL HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR ADVENTURE

We are all enthralled with the thought of having an alternative life, discovering magical powers, battling an alter ego, searching for lost treasure, facing enchanted creatures, or being whisked off to another world in the universe to go on a great adventure. A great adventure takes our minds off our own ordinary lives, and places our imagination in the unbelievable settings, exotic scenes and outlandish circumstances that the protagonists face.

J. K. Rowling superbly creates a fantasy world that takes our imagination away to her creative world at Hogwarts. She masterfully creates the adventures of Harry Potter with reality. Harry's adventures mostly take place in and around Hogwarts bar the few places like Diagon Alley, the Weasley's home and Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Harry's adventures commence at Platform 9 ¾ where he boards the school train that transports him to Hogwarts.

The tasks and challenges Harry face are both realistic and unimaginable. Take Quidditch as an example. The idea of a sport with teams on flying broomsticks is, in real life, absurd. However, J K. Rowling's portrayal and description of the sporting events are realistic and believable. Harry's adventures inside the walls of Hogwarts and in and around the grounds of the school are hard to beat.

How will the next great series top Harry Potter's adventuresome nature?

Bacon Finnegan is different from Harry Potter in the sense that the adventures of each book of the series take place on a different planet in the universe verses centered on one place. This theme will appeal to a mass audience and have the potential for more adventure. Each book in the series begins with a teleportation watch whisking Bacon and his friends away to a far away planet. With each planet, different elements are thrown into the mix. Therefore, the new environment compounds the challenges faced on that planet. Unlike Harry Potter, who returns to Hogwarts each year the characters of Bacon Finnegan are taken to various exotic locations. The adventures are boundless on each new planet as different realms are faced.

ASPECT #9 - THE STORIES WILL TAKE PLACE OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME

The Harry Potter series takes place over the course of consecutive school years. The time that passes allows different phases to be played out like mid-terms, Christmas break and everyday school issues.

In Bacon Finnegan, the events on each planet take place over 80 hours. The watch gives them this allotted time to solve the riddle, find the relics and help the people of the planet before they move on to the next planet. This sense of a restricted period brings an added element to the already complicated structure of the series. There is nothing like the pressure of a ticking down clock.

ASPECT #10 - IT WILL CATCH THE IMAGINATION OF DIFFERENT WORLD CULTURES

Harry Potter brings forward historical accounts, themes, legends and tales from various cultures mixing them with a new fantasy world. Creatures from ancient civilizations are brought forward into the 21^st century and are explained in a way that makes them come alive as if they really existed. Creatures like the Bogeyman, hippogriff and phoenix as well as thoughts and ideas like wizardry, alchemy and the illusive search for the philosopher's stone come to life in this amazing tale of one young boy's life. The cultural aspect of Harry Potter crosses all lifestyles. This is evident in the world markets where the Harry Potter books and merchandise are sold.

Bacon Finnegan will have that same worldly, cultural appeal. Bacon Finnegan's adventures take place on planets with different cultures and civilizations. Those civilizations mimic those here on Earth. For example the first book in the series takes place on a planet with civilizations similar to early Native America and that of Greece/Atlantis. Each additional book in the series takes place on planets with civilizations based on Egypt, the rain forests of Brazil, China, an industrialized city of robots, Europe in the Middle Ages, the Vikings of Norway and 21^st Century England. They also take myths, characters and legends of current and past civilizations brining them together in a new sort of tale. This mixture of civilization, setting and human interaction will appeal to a wide, multicultural audience.

ASPECT #11 - IT WILL HAVE HUGE MERCHANDISING POSSIBILITIES

Harry Potter is not only successful in hardback and paperback but in its merchandising. J. K. Rowling has successfully marketed the franchise into Movies, DVD's, toys, Lego's, coloring books, Halloween costumes, clothing, cups, napkins, plates, etc. Everywhere you look, you can find something with Harry Potter on it.

Bacon Finnegan has that same merchandising potential. With male and female characters, mysterious worlds and amazing tales the merchandising potential is there. Maybe you will get a teleportation watch with each book purchase.

ASPECT #12 - IT WILL BE G RATED

Harry Potter, like many books for children, has kept its content free of bad language and explicit sexuality. It is still full of action, adventure, romance, magic, love and friendship but it is crafted in a tasteful fashion for its primary audience-children ages 8-12.

In the same line, Bacon Finnegan will have appropriate content for children to read.

IN SUMMARY

BACON FINNEGAN AND THE RELICS OF MERLIN will fulfill all of the aspects that came together in the Harry Potter stories. Those aspects encompassed the interests of a world audience. With a strong protagonist, great characters, social relevance and an amazing adventure, Bacon Finnegan is destined to become the next great success story.

For more information visit:

www.BaconFinnegan.com