Behind Unforeseen
HOW THIS BOOK CAME INTO BEING
As a woman of a "certain age" I find stories about older characters more interesting. While the main characters of this romance are only in their 40s, they have an established life and have made choices that younger characters like those expected in the romance genre have yet to face.
Unforeseen was written, in part, with the intention to illustrate in a fictional way, the challenges and dangers of being a foreign correspondent in today’s world. I also wanted to revisit the years of my own life during which I was an American woman living, working, and traveling alone in Europe -- and fantasize in retrospect how it could have been different.
Thus, I did visit many, though not all, of the towns mentioned, and they have remained in me as favorite memories. Many of the restaurants and hotels Julie enjoys here can be found currently via Google and other travel websites. I purposely selected ones that sounded like I would have enjoyed had I been a travel blogger.
WHY A SECOND EDITION OF THIS DIGITAL BOOK
Originally this book was published on the Smashwords platform in 2022. Since then I had second thoughts about the wisdom of using the real name of a more than 100 year old publishing company. An update was needed.
And a short survey among my Facebook fans showed an interest in having an index of characters and lesser known places in works of fiction. This second edition adds that in the book's "back matter".
WHY NO PEN NAME FOR THIS ROMANCE
Several previous romance stories I've published had somewhat explicitly erotic scenes. For those books (First Time Again, and Love Anyway), I used the penname BlackMoon Lillith as a branding device.
While this story features one or two moments of sensual excitement, there are no full sex scenes per se. For that reason, I decided this book would be a good companion to a cozy mystery that will be published in early 2025 under my real name.
WHAT MOVES ME ABOUT JULIE AND JACK'S RELATIONSHIP
This is an emotionally mature relationship, one in which each person holds and observes boundaries, and prioritizes being supportive to the other. They are old enough to resist biochemical temptations until the right timing. Jack respects Julie's independence. Julie protects Jack's reputation and privacy. In short, they have the kind of loving relationship that keeps couple together through thick and thin.
NOTE ON THE COVER
The second edition cover shows the old town hall building in Hanau, Germany with its characteristic half-timbered architecture style. I chose this photo purchased from Dreamstime because Hanau is where a pivotal scene takes place. It also grounds the casual observer in the genre of a story that revolves around travel in Europe.
In creating this cover, I employed a vignette filter, giving the photo darkened edges. This suggests the building is in the sights of a camera lens. Or a gun sight, to add intrigue to the first impression of the story.