Interview with Lynn Wood, Author of Secrets, Lies and Betrayals

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Secrets, Lies and Betrayals?

I’ve lived my entire life in the shadow of the nation’s capital where the national political circus is always front and center. While there’s always been disagreement between the two major political parties about the best way to govern the country, the current landscape of divisiveness, polarization, personal attacks on government officials and their families as well as attacks on our personal freedoms, is jarring. The story behind Secrets, Lies and Betrayals is a reminder that American democracy remains a light to the world. A system of government “of the people, by the people, for the people” is a precious treasure to be embraced and protected by all of its citizens. The American dream is alive and well and filled with hope for a better future for all Americans if we only reach for it and work for it with hearts and hands fully engaged.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Secrets, Lies and Betrayals, what would they be?

Lea: Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You”) Max: Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.”

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read obsessively and will always gravitate towards fiction first. My favorite read is a story I can fall into, become immersed in and stay up all night reading, preferably with relatable, likeable characters who are doing their best with the challenges confronting them. I tend to write along the same lines: Romantic Suspense, Thrillers, Mysteries, often with a Supernatural thread subtly woven through the tapestry of the pages. I like Fantasies and Young Adults that create new worlds, or surprising, often magical sub-worlds within our existing one. Always, I lean towards stories whose characters are engaged in the struggle of good versus evil, and as in any true fairytale, the ending has to be a happy one.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

In the Romantic Suspense Genre: I never miss one of Nora Roberts full-length releases or her trilogies. I especially enjoyed her recent Dragon Heart Legacy set in Ireland, (Talamh) complete with magic and the battle against an evil God. I’m also a fan of Catherine Coulter’s FBI Series, Elin Hilderbrand, and Jayne Anne Krentz in the Romance genre. In the more Thriller and Suspense Genre: I enjoy Dan Brown, David Baldacci and John Grisham. Young Adult: I’m still a big fan of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings saga, and who doesn’t wish the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling didn’t have a few encore offerings? Like most of the world, I giddily followed along Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga as it unfolded.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

When Lea’s father announces his run for the presidency and Lea is forced to confront the very real possibility her new life, the one she loves, the one she built on her own, through trial and error, through grit and determination, without the advantage of her family name, could come crashing down around her in a matter of months. The shock of her father’s announcement after years of striving to overcome the consequences of having her childhood stolen from her and how she deals with it, the strength it takes Lea to keep moving forward in the direction of her own dreams is a subtle but critical emphasis on the inner strength and determination we all have to muster to carve out the lives we create for ourselves.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Not really.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Even with faith, hope and trust in divine intervention, there’s no getting around the of work of creating the next best version of ourselves and our lives.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Hope. Hope for the future of our country and its citizens.

Lynn Wood is the author of the new book Secrets, Lies and Betrayals

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