Sorcerer on the Street

John Blake has wanted to be a private detective for as long as he could remember. His favourite books as a child were by Raymond Chandler and James Ellroy. So when his parents said he had to marry one of their friend's sons to benefit the family business, he decided it was time to pursue his dream.
John ran away from home and moved to LA, hoping against all the odds that the tricks he'd picked up from some favourite novels might help him to become a detective in the real world. But arriving in the big city with only the money in his pocket, even getting people to take people seriously is a chore. He doesn't know how to find a home, or approach his first client. And the only person who's at all supportive keeps telling John that his destiny is to be a wizard. Could he be right?

I'm trying to write a story, all the way from initial concept to publication, in November 2024. All feedback appreciated