Let's talk a little about your first book, Dark Secrets. How long did it take you to write the story?
Believe it or not, I worked on Dark Secrets on and off for almost thirty years. For this reason, updating the story line was an ongoing challenge. Not one of my characters had a cell phone, a laptop, or a GPS. I even had to rewrite an airport scene to stay true to our latest airport security. When I started writing this story, my characters and I were the same age. Now, I'm old enough to be their mama!
There are song lyrics in your story. Why?
I wanted the reader to believe Rick Anderson was a musician and songwriter, so I included a couple of my own original songs throughout the book for him. I also added my songs for my fictional rock band, Roulette. Roulette, by the way, is my tribute to my favorite 80's rock band, Bon Jovi.
One of the original songs in the story, I’m Watching You, was specifically written for my stalker. This particular song was inspired by one of the biggest hits of the ’80’s, Every Breath You Take, by The Police. The incomparable singer/songwriter Sting explained in an interview the song was about control and surveillance. Try reading the lyrics without the beautiful music. You might be as surprised as I was. Despite the true meaning behind the lyrics, I still find the song hauntingly beautiful.
Read more of this interview.