The Seeker centers around a young silk weaver in 1203 Constantinople whose gift for revealing hidden truths places her in grave danger. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

In England, there is a television documentary series in which celebrities from different faiths and backgrounds undertake pilgrimages across the world. One episode followed their journey to Istanbul, and during it, they passed a wishing tree where a young girl sat beneath its branches selling strips of brightly coloured cloth. Visitors would buy a ribbon, tie it to the tree, and whisper a wish as they did so. The branches shimmered in the sunlight, heavy with hundreds of vibrant strips fluttering in the breeze.

The image stayed with me long after the programme had ended. Curious, I began researching wishing trees and discovered that similar traditions exist across many cultures and countries, often linked to spirituality, hope, and human longing. What fascinated me even more was the setting itself. Istanbul — once Constantinople — stood for centuries as the great bridge between East and West, a city where cultures, religions, and empires collided. It was also a major crossroads along the Crusading routes, making it impossible for me not to weave the city into my story.

As the idea developed, I transformed the concept of the wishing tree into something darker and more unsettling: a truth-revealing tree. Instead of granting desires, it would expose hidden truths, forcing characters to confront secrets they would rather keep buried. It became the perfect symbol for the tension at the heart of the novel — a meeting point of faith, deception, love, and revelation.

Deanda is often trusting to the point of vulnerability. Was that innocence intentional, and what does it represent in her character arc?

At the beginning of the story, it was very intentional that Deanda appeared innocent, vulnerable, and, at times, almost painfully naïve. I wanted her to embody the uncertainty and trust of someone who has not yet been exposed to the darker realities of power, ambition, and manipulation. Her gullibility is not a weakness without purpose; rather, it lays the foundation for her transformation across the series.

As the books progress, Deanda is gradually shaped by the dangerous world around her. She becomes more self-assured, more independent in her thinking, and far less willing to take people at face value. This evolution becomes especially significant once she is drawn into the volatile world of King John’s court — a place rife with political manoeuvring, shifting loyalties, betrayal, and hidden agendas. It was the perfect historical setting in which to test her character.

I wanted the court itself to feel almost predatory: a place where trust could be weaponised and where a single mistake might prove disastrous. Deanda’s innocence therefore, becomes both her vulnerability and the catalyst for her growth, allowing her to fall into carefully placed traps before learning, often painfully, how to navigate and ultimately escape them.

Did you ever struggle with how much historical fact versus fictional interpretation to include?

One of the greatest challenges I faced while writing the series was finding the balance between historical fact and historical fiction. I wanted readers to feel fully immersed in the medieval world — to be able to picture the castles, markets, courts, clothing, customs, and the people who inhabited them. The atmosphere and detail were incredibly important to me because I wanted the setting to feel authentic rather than simply decorative.

At the same time, I was determined to remain as faithful as possible to the real history of the era. All of my novels are rooted in actual historical events and broadly follow genuine timelines, although there are moments where chronology has been adjusted slightly in order to maintain narrative pace and dramatic momentum. That balance between accuracy and storytelling was something I constantly wrestled with throughout the writing process.

I also felt strongly about incorporating real historical figures — people readers would instantly recognise from history — because their presence gives the story greater weight and realism. However, while the foundations of these characters are historically grounded, I have occasionally adapted aspects of their personalities or interactions to heighten literary tension and improve readability. The only entirely fictional creations are Deanda, her family, and Asim.

Because of this, the research process became immense. I spent years studying the period to ensure that the appearances, reputations, achievements, and general characteristics of the historical figures aligned as closely as possible with how they are understood historically. I knew from the beginning that I would not be satisfied creating a purely fictional medieval backdrop; I wanted the novels to feel anchored in genuine history, with real events and real people shaping the emotional and political landscape of the story.

Where will the next book in The Hidden Truths Saga take readers?

The next instalments in the series will take Deanda’s relationship with her father to more complicated places, testing their loyalty and trust. As the political tensions surrounding the court intensify, Deanda finds herself increasingly drawn into the dangerous orbit of the king himself — at first manipulated by his authority and ambitions, but gradually learning how to manipulate him in return in order to honour the promise she made to Sir Richard.

This shift marks a significant turning point in her character. No longer the sheltered and trusting young woman of the earlier books, Deanda begins to understand that survival within King John’s court depends not only upon courage, but upon deception, strategy, and the careful use of influence.

At the same time, her relationship with Sir John deepens, evolving from fragile affection into a far more powerful and dangerous bond. Their eventual union, however, is anything but secure. What should represent safety and fulfilment instead places Deanda in even greater peril, as she slowly realises that the mysterious gift which once protected her can no longer shield her from the paranoid king.

As alliances fracture and ambitions spiral out of control, Deanda is forced to confront the terrifying possibility that she may simply become another sacrifice to King John’s increasingly delusional sense of power and destiny. The question that lingers over the series is not merely whether she can protect those she loves, but whether she herself will survive the ruthless world she has become entangled within.

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