Thrift Shop
Trinkets & treasures
of the tales I tell.
The signature cameo
If you peek inside my jewelry box, you'll find this cameo that I bought over a decade ago and now use as my social avatar. Alas, it's not an antique, but it has great sentimental value.
Jewelry by Origimi Owl®
For my authorial debut, my friend and independent designer for Origami Owl®, Elizabeth Battaglia, custom-created this vintage-themed locket for me, incorporating a representation of my signature cameo as well as writing themes of Time, Love, and the Soul. For the Seven for a Secret launch party, I also added a charm bracelet with Kate's key to 4D. Charm collections for each of my stories can be found on Pinterest.
"'Oo-ooh!' she exclaimed. 'What is this?' She lifted a
little black beaded evening bag from the scarf pile."
This is arguably where Seven for a Secret began. A divine little vintage accessory purchased at an antique fair in Elgin, Illinois. The price was more than I'd normally spend on a whim, but there was just something about it that "darkly dazzled" my eyes.
"Tucked away was a display case housing an illuminated stained glass sundial from antiquity."
Dating back to the 16th century, this lovely piece is allegedly the oldest sundial made of stained glass. It's presently on display at the Adler Planetarium right where Kate finds it in Seven for a Secret: by the medieval classroom in the Astronomy & Culture exhibit.
"She affixed a black cloche hat with a low-hanging brim, wrapped herself in an ankle-length black mink, and snuck out to Clark Street where she hailed a taxi to the Green Mill."
Brighton-based milliner Anna Chocola modeled her "Inès" cloche hat after the one her French great-grandmother wore in the 1920s. Anna measured every last detail to make a pattern of the original shape, which she recreates using a variety of colors and fabrics. Featured here is the basic style, which is very much like what Eva wore to the Green Mill on the first of two fateful New Year's Eves in Seven for a Secret. Anna Chocola is the exclusive headwear designer of my promotional events.
(Click photo for links and more angles of this lovely 1920s cloche.)
"Before returning to her, he wandered to the Victrola in the corner and placed its needle on a record."
This is the playlist that I compiled during my final revisions of Seven for a Secret. Some songs are mentioned directly in the book, while others simply capture the spirit and sound of this dual-period story. You can find the "soundtrack" at my YouTube channel, and my rationale for each song is on my blog.
There's more inventory on the way...
including some jewelry & clothing, so pop in again soon or "shop" at my Pinterest board!