People often ask where the ideas for novels come from. I’m sure every author has a different answer but each of us would probably agree that there’s fun to be had in another device of storytelling—wordplay. The meanings of words or phrases can hold the key to a story or provide an interesting synopsis.
In my novel Homecoming, Nickel Warren learned why it was important to “be careful what you wish for” after her long-lost love returned to her as a demon hunter. Characters Aryn and Ryan Rayburn were put to the test to prove they “would do anything” for each other in the novel, Pursuit. When The Winter War was released, Eric Kade’s story that began in Homecoming came full circle and he realized why a person “can never go home again.” Today, the fourth novel under my Dream Big publisher’s logo and the second in the Tales of Bishop’s Island series begins a new chapter. With Descent I’ve explored the idea of “home is where the heart is” and mixed it with a dose of “history repeats itself.”
Taking a look at two generations of Bishop’s Island, Descent brings characters Nickel Warren and Aryn Rayburn together for the first time. Two women with very different back stories, they are united in more than one way. These various unions bring them to explore the histories and lives of those they’ve descended from as they attempt to solve a mystery of the island.
Another little quirk I was able to employ as an author was the luxury of naming my characters. As the story of the past is told, two new female characters are introduced. Not only are Bessie Harris and Juanita Jacoby the heart of the historical portions of the story, they were given the first names of my grandmothers, to whom the book is dedicated. I also have released this novel on what is the fiftieth wedding anniversary of my parents. (Let’s just hope it’s received as what my mom would call “a nice story.”)
Oh, and where did the idea for this novel come from? The twisty-brain of a sleep-deprived author. Where else?
You can purchase a copy of Descent for Kindle and Nook.
Links and additional information for all these titles, including free excerpts, are available here on my bibliography page.
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