Avid readers Beth and Sadie wrote to ask me about hidden items and inspirations in Whispering Evil. Well girls, here they are:
Cousin Anthony – Anthony, designer of the first guardian training rooms, was named in honor of my friend Tony who designs websites.
Mikayla Collins – Mikey is my homage to author Rachel Caine. I adore her Morganville Vampire books. Mikey was named after the two male leads of that series: Michael Glass and Shane Collins.
Dog at the Rest Stop – Keira encounters a playful boxer at the rest stop during her driving instruction, inspired by my brother’s boxer named Archie.
“It’s uh maize” – I can’t resist a good pun…or a bad one. My friends know me as the self-proclaimed Queen of Corn!
Valley View High – Valley View is a street in my neighborhood. I always thought it would be a good name for a school.
Bon Jovi – Yes, Bon Jovi really did perform in concert on Feb. 4th, 1987 in Fort Worth. No, I wasn’t there.
Broo’s Coronation – Broo’s coronation was patterned after the traditional British royal coronation ceremony. In Britain, when the monarch dies, the next in line steps in immediately, but waits several months (a proper grieving period) before holding a coronation ceremony. Specific items described in the ceremony reflected real-world parts of the actual ceremony held for British monarchs.
Dairy Dog – I know this spot isn’t exclusive to Book 2, but its one that the ladies above mentioned and it’s also something I’ve been asked about many times. This is not a real location, however it was inspired by Briskers Dairy Bar in Oak Hill, Ohio (not sure if it still exists or operates under that name), the Dairy Boy in Crown City, Ohio, and about a dozen other ice cream stands sprinkled in every county along the Ohio River. I’m afraid that I have yet to see one that has twinkling lights or honeysuckle. That part was all me.
Read last April’s post about hidden items in Of Sun & Moon – Easter Eggs in Of Sun & Moon