I've submitted three book queries to the Donald Maass Literary Agency.

1 Science Fiction Novel.
2 Urban Fantasy.

1 Urban Fantasy went to Donald Maass
2 went to Jennifer Jackson

Let's hope one of them interests the two.

Just curious.

:-)

In my world, magic takes place in the "real world" like Harry Dresden so there's a question as to why it's not more prominent.  Magic needs to be inhibited, in my opinion, because it's a deus es machine that can do whatever you want it to unless you really DETAIL out the ground rules for it.

I went for the idea in my campaign that magic is really, really, really difficult.  The idea that its exhausting and mentally taxing seemed like an excellent way to handle it.  The bigger the effect, the more you risked your life and sanity to do it.  Plus, it also gave me the excuse for a lot of extra plots solely by this limitation.  Stuff we see in other worlds like human sacrifice, ley lines, and pacts with demons are things that solely exist to provide someone more magical 'oomph' to draw upon.  Magic can also be done without spells and the like, which makes some scenes easier, but they're really needed to pull off more difficult effects and make the cost for the spells less cumbersome.

I think that gave a good excuse as to why someone would just go out and buy a gun as opposed to trying to kill someone with fire from above.

How do you think it should be handled?

For me, when writing contemporary fantasy, I make it a point to surround myself with Hellblazer, Witch Hunter Robin, Anita Blake, and Harry Dresden (even Kim Harrison sometimes) while writing.  It helps me stay focused on the kind of genre I want to write in. I think Steven King said something like "writing is like milk.  It tastes like whatever its next to in the fridge."

I actually screw myself occasionally by going to read or watch something widely different from what I want to right.

Hey, I was inspired to write a second story almost immediately after finishing my first (90,000 word) novel.  The problem is that the first one isn't published yet.

Is it a good idea to make a series to sell?

A complicated issue I'm sure.

From what we've seen thus far it'll contain rules for magic, the monsters, and how to create city based campaigns with a Dresden "feel" from what I can tell.

What else will we see in the future? A possible history of magic or information beyond the books or is that exceeding the grasp of Jim Butcher's work?