Wicked Wednesday: Other Passions

Wickeds, our main characters are passionate people, otherwise they wouldn’t care about solving mysteries. Frequently they have other passions as well, like their businesses. So here’s my question. Can we talk about a secret passion they may have? Something you know about as you write, but the readers may not know about?

Jessie: I love this question! My sleuth, Edwina Davenport, is secretly writing a novel. She has a passion for westerns and has always wanted to write. At least, she thinks it is a secret passion. In fact, her dear friend, Beryl, is well aware of what is keeping her secreted away at the Remington Portable typewriter but she is too kind to mention it straight away.

Liz: So fun Jessie. Maddie James in the Cat Cafe books has a passion for singing. She mostly kept it hidden, but her new kind-of boyfriend outed her by having her join him on stage when he was performing with his band, the Scurvy Elephants, and she had a blast.

Edith/Maddie: The name Scurvy Elephants cracks me up, Liz! Mac Almeida loves classical music. She played the cello as a child and secretly wants to take lessons again if she can find the time – and a place to store a big instrument like a cello. Robbie Jordan never learned to knit and has been planning to ask Aunt Adele to teach her. Rose Carroll secretly wishes she could be employed as a Pinkerton detective, but her calling as a midwife is a strong pull in the opposite direction.

Barb: What a great question. In the Maine Clambake Mysteries, Julia Snowden has committed to life in Busman’s Harbor, after two decades away at boarding school, college, grad school and work. She’s settled down and happy for the break from the constant travel her old job required. But really, truly, after staying put for three years her feet are itchy again and she dreams of Europe, Asia, Africa…

Sherry: Very interesting that Julia has itchy feet! I understand that. On the other hand, Sarah has a longing to put down deep roots like the people in Ellington have. She wants to run into the same people at the coffee shop and spend time with old friends.

Julie: What fun answers! Roddy (in the Garden Squad series) is a painter and draws. That’s starting to come out, but he has secret passions. Being an artist gives him another point of view that inspires and intrigues.

Readers, wasn’t this fun? Do you like learning about the secret lives of characters? As writers, we know a lot we don’t share, but may.