Shiny Things
Fun facts, ephemera, news, upcoming releases, etc.
Note: Some of the information below may be spoilerish in nature. You might want to read the book first. Or go ahead and be spoiled (personally, I LOVE being spoiled!)
Echoes in Stone:
Original Title: A Pocketful of Ashes
If this were an old school gothic the title would be: The Lost Bride of Tremayne Hall
Nearly all of the women have floral names: Jessamine (Jasmine), Lily, Holly, Marguerite, Mrs. PenROSE. The heroine’s last name is “Palmer”, also based on a plant. A fruit called the Cornish Gillyflower apple plays a key role.
Names mean things:
- The jasmine flower means grace and elegance. In the Philippines it also mean unconditional and eternal love.
- A calla lily means regal or magnificence, while a stargazer lily means ambition, both of which describe the character of Lily.
- Marguerite is a kind of daisy, symbolizing innocence. It also speaks of loyal love. This speaks to my character’s loss of innocence, and her love for her daughters.
- Holly symbolizes domestic happiness. In the novel, Dash’s daughter, Holly, represents this for him.
- Tremayne is the Cornish word for “house of stone”, representing not only the setting of Echoes in Stone, but the hero’s initial feelings toward the heroine. A stone cold heart that will not be breached. We all know how THAT works out for him!
Colors: There are color cues throughout the book. Jessa’s colors are mostly cool blues and grays at the beginning (she has a blue bedroom, wears blue, lilac and green). Lily’s color is red. As the heat grows between Jessa and Dash, you’ll see more red. In every “sensitive scene” (meaning sex!) there is something in some shade of red, whether it’s a piece of furntiure, a wall color, or a wardrobe item.
Tremayne Hall: There really is a Tremayne Hall in Cornwall. It looks like a community center, and no, I’ve never been there. It has absolutely nothing to do with this novel in any way, so please don’t go knocking on the door asking to see the tower or anything. My version of Tremayne Hall is a complete fiction, fabricated purely from my imagination (with the help of my Muse and perhaps a drop or two of bourbon!). If you simply must go touring, try the Lost Gardens of Heligan, created by the real Tremayne family.
More fun: Like to look at pictures? (No, I didn’t mean that to sound dirty! LOL!) I’ve created a Pinterest board just for images that inspired Echoes in Stone. Feel free to follow my board, or follow any of my boards at Pinterest.
Working on…
A Victorian gothic romance, with ghosts!
Working title: Blue Stone Legacy
Concept: For generations, the lords of Malverton have been obligated to watch over a distant branch of the family. They’ve had to watch six generations of women give birth to daughters. And six generations of women have died before their 25th birthday. Hagan Malveton doesn’t know why, but he’s convinced the House of Malverton is somehow responsible for whatever this curse is. And, by God, the curse is going to end with him.
Kat Sheridan 