Evil Fish and Bulbous Trees - 10 Things You Didn't Know About A Darling Secret

Were the sinister Shadow Gods in my new book inspired by an evil fish?

How is an ancient Bolivian legend tied to my story?

Click HERE to learn the surprising, and funny, secrets behind A Darling Secret. 
 

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I hope you enjoy learning more about A Darling Secret. Don't forget to check these out too:

• 10 Things You Didn't Know About Strange Luck
• 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Nightmare Birds

Five Good Luck Objects from Around the World

I LOVE references to strange objects, peculiar charms, and customs. Here are five mentions of good luck charms from around the world.

Acorns
According to Norse folklore, acorns and oak trees were thought to bring good fortune. The Vikings associated oak trees with Thor, the god who created thunder and lightning with his great anvil and hammer. Because the tree attracted lightning, it was sacred to Thor. The Vikings believed that the fruit of the oak tree, the acorn, was spared Thor's wrath, so Vikings placed a lone acorn on their windowsills to protect their houses from lightning.

The English oak tree is the national tree of England and symbolizes strength and endurance. It’s abundant in English folklore and history, from Celtic religious leaders who worship in oak groves to lovers reciting their wedding vows under its sturdy branches.

Bezoars
This “charm” is a mass that forms in the stomach of goats, deer, and other animals. Many cultures believe that crushing the bezoar into powder could save a poison victim, while others dropped the bezoar into a glass to check for poison before drinking. Carrying the stone is thought to offer protection against illness and bad fortune.

The Buttercup
There are endless floral motif symbols in Victorian jewelry, but perhaps none as favorable as the delightful, buoyant, sweet, and simplistic, golden yellow buttercup flower. They symbolize happiness, friendship, and new beginnings.

A Boar on a Hat
The idea of a lucky pig actually has a long history in Europe. Small metal boars were used as amulets or attached to helmets to give good luck to soldiers in Northern Europe.

A Creepy Doll Giving the Thumbs Up
The little good luck charms were called fumsups, after the fact that they all gave little thumbs ups. They became popular in the1880s, reaching their peak in popularity during the First World War.

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Don't forget to check out these posts too!

• Strange, Rare, and Dark Things - The Peculiar Antiques of Strange Luck
• Cabinet of Curiosities - How I Got Into Antiques

The Lucky Cricket Is Real...Well, Sort Of

I don't know about you, but I love discovering little secrets behind a book like that Ernie Prang and Stan Shunpike, the driver and conductor of the Knight Bus in Harry Potter, were named after J. K. Rowling's grandfathers. It's so much fun discovering these little secrets, so I thought I'd share some secrets of my own about Strange Luck. Enjoy!

 

1.   The fortune-telling cricket is real! Well, sort of. Growing up, my parents always had a little cricket statue in our living room. When I got older, I asked where it had come from and my mom told me it was given to her by my great grandma who said it would bring their home good luck. I always thought that was neat, so when it came time for me to live in a house of my own, my mom gave me the cricket. Since then, it's traveled across the country with me and it currently resides in my living room.

2.   Although Sea Salt, CA is a fictitious town, it is based on a combination of my favorite ‘real’ towns in California - Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Pescadero, and La Honda.

3.   Daisy’s relationship with Roger started out in a similar way to how one of my high school relationships started.

4.   Roger’s dog, Millie, is based on my first dog ever with the same name.

5.   I love to antique! A lot of the antiques in the shop were inspired by real things I’ve seen or read about over the years.

6.   The idea of “collecting memories” in a fantasy world came to me as I passed by a cemetery on my way to work one day.

7.   My grandmother, Mary, died before she got to read this book, so I wanted to find a way to remember her. Her favorite flower was a daisy and one of my favorite memories was planting daisies with her. There was never any other name I entertained for the protagonist.

8.   I wrote the first two chapters of Strange Luck and then abandoned it or forgot about it for some reason. About a year later I was cleaning files on my computer and found the story and decided to finish it.

9.   I literally chose from over 100 cover designs for this book. I couldn't be happier with the result :)

10.  The Nameless world was inspired by Fantastica from The Neverending Story (book and movie) and The Labyrinth (movie).

Bonus: This book was fueled by cappuccino's and chocolate...and I enjoyed every tasty minute of it. 

Now you share! What are some secrets from your favorite books?