This “Behind the Scenes” blog is part of a series examining my romance novels. In each blog, I’ll talk about why I wrote the book, share my thoughts on the plot and/or characters, and sometimes reveal what I loved most (or least) about writing the book. Warning: Blogs may contain spoilers.
If you missed any blog in this series, you can catch up here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/blog
Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing a Behind the Scenes look at the making of
my fourth gay romance, A Thousand Summer Secrets. I’ll talk about the
characters, their troubled relationships, the origin of the story, and the
title. Let’s get started with the book blurb:
A Thousand Summer Secrets
You can’t outrun your past…
Ten years after being disowned by his family for being gay, Eric
Warren pays a visit to his family’s summer cabin. It’s his last attempt at
reconciliation before moving on. But a surprise from the past is waiting for
him.
Eric’s intolerant brother, Jamey, has several friends
staying at the cabin for the weekend, including Matt, Eric’s boyhood friend and
secret crush. The years haven’t faded their mutual attraction, and they quickly
reconnect. But Eric is hesitant to get romantically involved. He’s emotionally
broken and scarred from his traumatic past.
As Matt tries to help Eric, Jamey goes out of his way to
sabotage his brother. And when the weekend events take a disastrous turn, Eric
finds himself at a crossroads.
Should he follow his search for love and acceptance with
Matt? Or leave the past behind forever?
Order your copy here:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Summer-Secrets-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CZYYP5HC
All Other Platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3nMKA8
***
Before I talk about the characters, let’s talk about the
title. Yes, as you may have guessed, this book is filled with secrets (and
lies). Are there “a thousand” secrets? I’m not sure, but I do know the
characters are keeping secrets from each other and themselves. Everything isn’t
exactly what it seems, and there’s plenty of family and relationship drama to
fill a weekend.
As for the title itself… Occasionally I have trouble coming
up with titles, but not this time. Many years ago I was mindlessly fooling
around with those magnetic squares of different words and strung together
“thousand summer secrets”. I thought it would make a good title, so I wrote it
down.
Originally I thought I’d use the title for a story about two
female best friends reconnecting during a week at the beach. That book never
materialized. But when I wrote about two male friends reconnecting over a July
Fourth weekend, I decided the title fit the story perfectly!
When I wrote the book, I deliberately set the story in a
rural cabin during a long weekend. Why? To build drama and tension. Basically,
I threw several characters who don’t get along in a small space and forced them
to deal with each other, for good or bad. You never know what they’ll do or say
next. (If anyone has ever been “stuck” with people you can’t stand for a long
weekend, you know what I’m talking about.)
Everyone in this story has flaws they’re working through (or
should be!). Jamey has anger issues (for starters). His friend Dave is a
homophobic jerk. Eric is in AA, harboring a lot of guilt, and has low
self-esteem. Matt is the stable one in the group and tries to make peace
between everyone. But after a while, he realizes it’s an uphill battle for
Eric, and Eric might be better off without his cruel, dysfunctional family.
When I was writing, I wanted the characters (not just Eric)
to realize it’s okay to walk away from people and situations that make your
life miserable. Just because you’re related to someone (or dating them), it
doesn’t give them the right to bully you or treat you like crap. Life is too
short to be around uncaring, intolerant people, and it’s within your right to
leave them behind, move on, and close the door to them forever.
As Eric tries to come to grips with his past, he needs all
the love, support, and help he can get. He was disowned by his parents
(literally thrown out of the house forever) when he was 20 years old, and left
to fend for himself. Despite his attempts at reconciliation, his family wants
nothing to do with him. Why? Because he’s gay.
Unfortunately, this situation is all too common in the
LGBTQ+ community. Children and teens are facing bullying, hatred, and worse
from their relatives, in their schools, and on social media—all because they
don’t “fit in” with the “norm” of society. I based Eric’s backstory on several
true stories I heard from gay friends and coworkers. Many times the LGBTQ+
person decides the only way to be happy is to leave their biological family and
find a new family in the LGBTQ+ community.
Eric’s rejection by his family wounds him deeply and feeds a
lot of his self-esteem issues. Matt’s family supports him, but he’s still not
completely comfortable being “out” in public. In the end, they both realize
that what other people think doesn’t matter—accept them or not—they’re not
going to hide who they are (or who they love) for anyone or any reason.
And that’s how it should be, because love is all that
matters.
June is Pride Month. Let’s all celebrate Love this summer.
(In my next blog, I’ll share a character interview with
Eric. Don’t miss it!)
Until next time,
Kelli
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has
published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, and 6 mystery/horror
ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare
readers with her horror and mystery stories.
Kelli released her fourth gay romance, A Thousand Summer
Secrets, in April 2024. This tender contemporary romance takes place over a
summer weekend, where two friends reconnect while seeking love and acceptance.
She published The Route 9 Killer, a mystery/thriller set in
Central NJ, in early 2023.
Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.
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