Eleanor Tremayne Author Interview

Destiny Revisited finds Gabby at an ex-boyfriends funeral where she is handed a ‘death box’ that sets off an unexpected chain of events. Where did the idea for the death box come from and how did it develop in the story?

In my first novel, Destiny Revisited, the objective was to encourage the readers to reflect on how the choices we make influence our entire lives. The novel is layered with irony, juxtaposition, and symbolism. The Death Box was one way to achieve this.

Preserving past memories is a well known practice. When Gabby Girard sees Jake Chevalier for the last time she has no idea that the cardboard box she hands him will forty years later be returned to her as The Death Box. Once Jake becomes the new keeper of this box, he now symbolically renames it The Death Box, representing the “death” of his relationship. Ironically , however, it also becomes Jake’s “lifeline” to Gabby. What follows after she opens that box is Jake’s final expression of love. It is a gesture that I know most readers will appreciate.

The Death Box was created in the early stages of the novel’s conception. It also becomes the catalyst for what follows in Gabby’s life, as well as, a link to the sequel novel, Destiny Revealed.. At that point Jake’s journals, found in The Death Box , becomes Gabby’s guiding light.

Gabby’s character is well developed and the relationships she has are heartfelt and heartbreaking. What were some sources of inspiration for you when creating Gabby’s relationships?

Gabby Girard believes that literature has the answers to all of life’s questions. Creating this character my intention was to illustrate how powerful authors words are. To achieve this I relied on my own favorite writers, James Joyce, TS Eliot, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Toni Morrison, and Dante. Inspiration also came from various cinematography heroine. Deanie Loomis in Splendor in the Grass, Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Katie Morosky, in The Way We Were.

Every romantic relationship that Gabby faces, she hopes will lead her closer to happiness. Unfortunately, not until Jake Chevalier releases her will she ever find peace.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?

There are many complex issues that Destiny Revisited addresses. If there is one idea that I would like readers to contemplate, it would be how much control do we really have over own destiny?

This book is the beginning of a series. How many books do you have planned and how far do you want to take Gabby’s story?

Destiny Revisited ended as a cliffhanger. It was always going to end in that way. What I did not expect was how many readers would request a sequel novel. That was when I decided to write Destiny Revealed. This novel allowed me to include more details about Caden Cassidy Sterling Powers, and Selina Cassidy.

Understanding Caden’s life in Ireland before moving to Savannah, Georgia, adds depth to his character. Similarly, Sterling was a real mystery that I wanted the reader to learn more about.
Once I decided to add a new character, Maggie Mendoza, everything began to develop nicely. The novel took a new life of its own. No longer was it now only a romance, it became a mystery novel.. Although I once considered another Destiny novel, I came to the conclusion that I like the way it ended. Although it is difficult to “walk” away from Gabby, I knew it was time to move on.
My next novel, Seven Days in Lebanon, is a historical fiction, based on the real life story of my grandmother’s exile in 1917 from St. Petersburg during the Bolshevik Revolution and her marriage to the last Prince of Kiva. It is in the final editing stage. It will be released early next year. Currently, The Mermaid’s Grandson, a work in progress, is a fantasy fiction that will touch the heart of every reader who ever experienced the joy and loss of a child.

Author Links: Amazon | Twitter

When Gabriella is handed the death box at her boyfriend’s funeral, she has no idea how her life is going to change. Her life becomes more than a stage; it becomes the looking glass through which the past and future can be seen.

Destiny Revisited begins in a Boston chapel in 2001, where Gabby flashbacks to the beginning of her journey–to Savannah, Georgia during the early sixties. Her memories take her to the university where she escapes a tragic love affair and finds herself living an extravagant, but ultimately mundane lifestyle in Kentucky. That is, until multimillionaire Sterling Powers, introduces a naïve Gabby to his special world of sexual intrigue.