Mortal Sins

Dear Reader,When I’m asked where I get my ideas, I often blame dark matter. This, of course, is a glib way of saying I have no clue. The original impetus for a story is usually a mystery to me, and I’m often amazed by the way the story develops, too — which is why I send my editor such lousy synopses.But with Mortal Sins, I do have a clue, albeit a small one, for part of the story. I wrote the opening scene in Rule’s point of view without having the foggiest idea why he was in those woods, or what he would find…but once I’d written that much, I knew who my villain was. The identity and nature of that villain shaped the rest of the story.And if you think that doesn’t really answer the question, well, it’s as close as I can come without mentioning dark matter. Which I’m really trying not to do…I suppose the true answer is pretty much what the theater manager said several times in Shakespeare in Love: “It’s a mystery.” The mystery Lily must solve in Mortal Sins is more concrete — and deadly. Worlds aren’t colliding literally for Lily and Rule this time, but personally. They are in Halo, North Carolina to claim his son…but someone else intends to claim him, too.What happens next is something completely unexpected — by Lily, Rule or even me.I hope you enjoy seeing Lily and Rule again as much as I enjoyed writing about them.Best wishes, — Eileen Wilks