The Secret Daughter follows a woman who discovers a letter from her late mother revealing family secrets involving Beethoven and giving her life a new purpose. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

After studying Beethoven’s life and music, I was fascinated by his personality and the trajectory of his life, especially the notion that he had a secret love whom he called The Immortal Beloved, choosing to never reveal her real name. I also felt a little sad for the great composer. His life was fraught with disappointment and rejection. The central theme of the book is that everyone deserves love, even those who are labeled as “others” because of some societal bias. I wanted to give Beethoven the love story he deserved. By creating a fictional lineage of descendants cumulating with Marie, his story unfolded.

Marie is a fascinating character who undergoes a great deal of growth and self-discovery in this story. What scene was the most interesting to write for that character?

I feel very connected to the story of Marie’s childhood. As she reflects on her life in the limo ride back to the winery, watching the lights of the city whir by, the couples kissing in cafes, this is where Marie begins to acknowledge her life is lonely, and that she is not happy. For me, this is a quiet moment of change for Marie. She longs to bring joy and love into her life and now, far away from Boston and the inexplicable loneliness of her childhood, she allows herself the freedom to shed the past and courageously begin a new chapter.

I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the novel. Did you plan this before writing the novel, or did the twists develop organically writing?

I started with a rough outline of where I wanted the story to go and how it would unfold. But in truth, the characters led me to some of the twists and turns along the way. There’s magic in allowing a story to unfold without editing yourself. I like to get it all down and then go back in and edit, several times, filling in the gaps, and adding structure where needed. The challenge is finding a good balance of conflict and rest. I didn’t set out to write a suspense novel, but as I wrote the story, it organically evolved the way it was meant to do. There would have been no story without exploring Marie’s struggles to accept her extraordinary lineage and to find purpose and love in her life.

What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?

My next book, The Enchantment of Elisha Gray, is something entirely different but still in the historical fantasy genre. It is an alternate take on the history of the invention of the telephone. I discovered a lot of controversy surrounding the true ownership of the design of the first telephone, and who got to the patent office first on Valentine’s Day in 1876. The gaps in the truth of what may have happened inspired me to write the story. With the addition of a bit of witchcraft and magic, it became a gothic take on the curious events surrounding the actual history. I have just begun to shop it to agents so there’s no telling when it will be out. Keep your fingers crossed it happens soon!

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