Secrets

Good Saturday morning! Thank so much for inviting me, Sandy! My first full-length historical novel, Secret Intentions, was released from Triskelion Publishing last month and it really was a dream come true. While I write futuristic/paranormal type books for Samhain Publishing, my heart has always been with historicals.

The idea for Secret Intentions actually came way back in 2000. I was at the RWA Conference in Washington, DC (only about 25 minutes from my home) and I was moderating a workshop given by Jo Beverley. It was a fascinating workshop for the young, eager writer in me. She and her co-presenter talked a lot about England and history, including flora and fauna of the time. But it was a single sentence she uttered which started my mind turning: A bastard son of a peer cannot inherit the title of his father. He cannot sit in the House of Lords. So, while that father may offer his son money and estates, the son is not..well, entitled to the title!

Thus, my little mind went turning. What if the son grew up not knowing he was a bastard? What if his father lied to him? What if the son found out later, after he was grown and out of the house (as it were)? What if someone who knew the truth of his birth blackmailed the son?

And, of course, what kind of woman would be the worst possible match for him? ;-) And what secrets does she keep close to her heart?

Six years and several drafts later, I sold that story to Triskelion.

It seems that I'm now fascinating with secrets and how they can damage a relationship and the person holding them. My 2006 Golden Heart finalist Mark of the Monster, a dark Gothic historical, examines the pain wrought by untold secrets. Every character in this book has something to hide and a strong reason to keep it hidden!

What books have you read and loved that involved a secret? Or, can you tell of a time that the revelation of a secret changed your life? I'll choose a name from the responses and the winner will receive a downloadable copy of Secret Intentions and your choice of earrings or bath products!