Secrets, a Story of Love and Betrayal

Secrets, a Story of Love and Betrayal
$2.99
Author:
Series: Mateguas Island, Book 1
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Argon Press
Publication Year: 2014
ASIN: B00HQM9YLQ

Bill and Karen Andersen were living the American Dream. Beautiful and successful, they had the world in the palm of their hands. But a foolish indiscretion on Bill's part that he keeps secret, begins the unraveling of their lives. Karen, becoming bitter and angry, as her fairy tale existence falls apart, has to make a decision and, in doing so, finds she has her own little secret - a secret that could destroy them all. SECRETS is the prequel to MATEGUAS ISLAND, a supernatural thriller, available in print at Amazon and Barnes & Noble and as an eBook exclusive to Amazon.

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About the Book

SECRETS, A Story of Love and Betrayal, is the prequel to Ms. Watkins’ debut novel MATEGUAS ISLAND (tentative publication date April 1, 2014) and fleshes out the lives of Bill and Karen Andersen in the two years prior to their move to the Island.

A fast-tracked software engineer in Silicon Valley, Bill and his wife, Karen, are living the American Dream. Karen, though highly educated, is a stay-at-home mom; content taking care of her twin daughters, Terri and Sophie, while enjoying the social life of pricey Los Gatos. Everything is perfect until the unthinkable happens – Bill loses his job and, because of a foolish indiscretion on his part, finds himself unemployable.

How these two upwardly mobile characters respond to adversity and the resulting state of their marriage at the time they are forced to move to a remote island off the coast of Maine is the heart of this novelette.

PRAISE FOR SECRETS

 “Linda Watkins’ novella SECRETS is a revealing prequel to her horror suspense novel MATEGUAS ISLAND. As both a standalone story and a companion piece to the tale that unfolds in her novel, SECRETS lets us into the damaged lives of the husband and wife at the center of the stories in depth. We are shown the sins and the hopes and dreams that made them who they are.”

~John Prince, novelist

 “Now is the time to pick up Linda Watkins’ novelette Secrets. This short tale — now available on all e-devices — is a dark prequel to her horror novel, Mateguas Island, due for publication later this spring.

“Secrets depicts how an upwardly mobile Silicon Valley family slides into descent, losing income, reputation, home and love. Bitterness accretes as they retreat in desperation to re-invent themselves at the family bequest on an isolated island off the coast of Maine. Something quite different happens.

“And not another word except to say you’ll be ready and eager to visit Mateguas Island this spring.”

~J. Scott Payne, author of A Corporal No More

 “In this prequel to Mateguas Island, Linda Watkins has filled in the details, connected the dots, and forced me to choose sides in the battle I know is coming. A fitting preparation for Mateguas.”

~Steve LeBel, author of Bernie and the Putty

 “Linda Watkins’ writing gets crisper with each new piece she writes. In Secrets, a prequel to her up-coming novel, Mateguas Island, she shows us what motivates, drives and propels these characters through this story and into the next. You may think you know where this tale is heading and that is when everything changes.

“Linda Watkins’ writing gets crisper with each new piece she writes. In Secrets, a prequel to her up-coming novel, Mateguas Island, she shows us what motivates, drives and propels these characters through this story and into the next. You may think you know where this tale is heading and that is when everything changes.

“In Secrets, Linda gives us that look into the back room and behind the closet door, and we are all better off, and hopefully prepared for what lies ahead.”

~H. William Ruback, author of the SHORT of it….

 

 

About the Author
Linda Watkins

Born in New England, Linda Watkins’ family moved to Michigan when she was a child. But her east coast roots remained strong and, each summer, she journeyed back to visit relatives in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. Her favorite place to visit was a remote island, accessible only by boat.

When Linda graduated from college, (Carnegie Mellon ’70), she relocated to San Francisco Bay Area where she lived and worked for thirty years. But the allure of that special island remained strong and, in 2006, she packed up her four dogs and belongings and fulfilled her dream, moving to Chebeague Island, Maine (year-round pop. 350).

She lived there for seven wonderful years and, while a resident, she penned her award-winning novel of horror and suspense, MATEGUAS ISLAND (published in April of 2014). In December of that same year, she published the sequel to MATEGUAS, aptly titled, RETURN TO MATEGUAS ISLAND.

Today, she resides in Western Michigan and is at work on the 3rd full-length novel in the Mateguas Series, GHOSTS OF MATEGUAS.

Book Site: www.MateguasIsland.com
Personal Site: www.LindaWatkins.biz

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