Fun Facts about Spellbound: Secrets, Spells and Tales
Updated: Jun 1, 2020
With every book, research is key. It's an absolute must.
Check out these fun facts and see how many you noted while reading Spellbound!
This is a sequel to The Trials: Secrets, Spells and Tales. It’s also the first chance readers get to view the story from Kirsten’s perspective.
There are multiple times Kirsten uses Latin during her spellcasting: ‘Peribolus’ translates to ‘Wall’, ‘Accendere’ means ‘To Light’, and ‘Virtus, et lumen. Verum ostendere, ostenderet voluntatem’, translates to ‘Power a light. Show the truth, show the will.
Kirsten takes gladiolus and frangipani flowers to the memorial of the witch trials. Gladiolus flowers represent faith, constancy, and believing in great blessings. Frangipani flowers represent celestial magic.
Sarah’s amulets are made of sapphire, gold, silver and rubies. Sapphires symbolize the element of air and are considered very powerful as they protect against jealousy and envy, strengthen memories and are considered the talisman of wisdom. Gold represents the sun just as silver represents the moon. Rubies represent the element of fire and symbolize the ability to combat fears and overcome darkness, as well as love and happiness for the wearer.
Abigail Williams was born in 1680 and was thought to be the cousin of Betty Parris. There is no record of Abigail after 1697 and it has been presumed that she died after John Hale wrote that an afflicted girl from the trials suffered from “diabolical manifestation” until her death and died as a single woman. Technically, this could have been Abigail Williams, Mary Warren or Elizabeth Hubbard, as there’s no record of any of these girls since 1697.
Betty Parris never did confess to her accusations. She married a man named Benjamin Baron in 1710 and gave birth to four children: Thomas, Elizabeth Jr., Catherine and Susanna. However, some websites note that she had five children and thus, a story idea was born.
Sleeping at Last’s version of, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” is my ultimate writing inspiration for this book, as was Earl’s, “Good Witch”. I also love Nathen Lanier’s, “Torn” and Within Temptations, “All I Need”.
The name Sarah was chosen for the main character’s name because Sarah was the most commonly repeated name on the accused list, totaling twenty-one Sarah’s accused of witchcraft.
Ellison was chosen for Harry’s last name because it’s a family name. Sarah and Harry are married in this book.
Bridget was chosen as the name for Mat and Ally’s daughter in dedication to Bridget Bishop, another accused from the trials in 1692.
Kirsten’s name was selected because I was a super fan of Days of our Lives in 1999 when Kirsten Storms played Belle Black. Thanks for the hairstyle inspirations in eighth grade Kirsten!
Harry’s name was chosen in dedication to my grandfather, Harold. I miss you every day Grandpa.
I just liked the name Callen – no reason needed.
I had a good friend Allison in middle school and her nickname was Ally. Mine was Lizzy.
Warren is also a family name in my ancestral tree many generations ago.
Magick is pronounced Mah-Geeek, (rhymes with chic).
Several things in the book were fan voted:
Hunter and Hawke were fan voted names and tied for first choice. Since a hawk is a predator, I found a way to incorporate both names into the story.
The ruby was chosen for the new talisman stone by Facebook voters amongst the choices ruby, amethyst or emerald.
Sarah and Kirsten’s masquerade ball gown color options were also chosen by fan votes: black for Sarah and turquoise for Kirsten.
The book cover color was also FB voted. The choices were purple, orange, green or grey. Purple won.
The memorial Sarah and Kirsten visit on All Hallow’s Eve is real and can be found in Danvers, Massachusetts.
It took me exactly ten months to write and complete this novel. The original outline was written on October 31, 2016 on a plane.
This is the first book cover I’ve designed on my own. I downloaded Photoshop and created it based on the concepts Mat Jennings (Blue Bamboo Creative) and I discussed for The Trials.
Look for Spellbound on my estore, Amazon and all major online book retailers!