I wrote my popular
paranormal (or is it paranormal?!) short story, “Family Secrets” when I
received a call from my publisher, Uncial
Press, to submit a short story. The genre was open; the storyline was up to
me. I decided on a contemporary romance with a touch of magic... just like the
touch of magic that I included in my Regency romance, THE MAGIC TOKEN, that recently
was re-released by Uncial Press. I
liked the idea of a tie-in to this Regency... not that there is a magic token,
but that a love ritual was performed on Midsummer’s Eve back in 1802, and now
in contemporary times with Talia Fanetti. More on this below in my connections
to real life section!
Talia Fanetti longs for true love. She’s
just gotten engaged to eligible bachelor Edmund Bartholomew, so she’s all set
in the love department.
Or is she?
On a romantic getaway in the country, she
learns her future in-laws live in a house awash with secrets. Talia soon makes
a startling discovery: she has a secret as well. When Grandmother Bartholomew
offers Talia a chance to find out who her true love is, will Talia have the courage
to use the magic spell?
I also loved the idea that
every character had something hidden from the others. After all, what family
doesn’t have secrets? It was fun considering each and every person and then
deciding what the mysterious secret would be.
Sometimes secrets can reveal your true love.
This book is part of the
Uncanny Paranormals line.
Real-Life Tidbit: Back in
Junior High (or Middle School as it would now be called) a very good friend
knew of my interest in paranormal subjects so she gave me a little fortune
telling book. This book also contained a few charms and ceremonies. In “Family
Secrets” I based Granny’s book, THE SAGE SEER, on my friend’s gift--THE LADIES’
ORACLE--which was supposedly first publishing in the sixteenth century. I
slightly altered the Midsummer’s Eve ritual for both “Family Secrets” and THE MAGIC TOKEN but the end
result was the same: to see one’s future husband.
Talia sat near the edge
of the stream, close enough to peer into the dark water. The moon seemed to
shine a beacon right where she needed it. She could see her pale image within
the water below.
If this secret ritual was
successful, her image would be replaced by her true love's reflection.
Her heart beat faster. Will the magic work?
Only one way to find out.
She adjusted her shawl around her shoulders, then got to work. Putting down her
supplies, she dug a hole in the dirt just large enough to make sure the candle
would remain upright.
She looked at her watch.
It was time.
Swiftly striking the
match, she smiled as the flame blazed into life. Then she lit the candle. Next,
she picked up the apple in one hand and the rose in the other. With the rose,
she made clockwise circles around the apple--seven times, as instructed.
By the time she'd
finished, her hand shook. She set down the rose and picked up the candle.
Bathed in the flicker of its light, she took a bite out of the apple. One bite
was all that was needed.
Now for the moment of
truth. Tensing up and holding her breath, she leaned over the riverbank to gaze
into the water below.
Her large dark eyes
blinked back at her. Her hair, mussed by the wind, looked as wild as a lion's mane
against the white of her nightshirt.
She released her pent-up
breath. Unless she was her own true love, no other image reflected back at her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you enjoy Talia’s
true love story.
Happy reading,
Susanne Marie Knight
Read outside the box: award-winning Romance
Writing With A Twist!
