The short story which birthed Royce Thorne's earliest literary incarnation is buried somewhere on one of the hard drives I've kept from one of my older computers. She has pretty much kept her indentity consistent, though, hopefully, has grown through the three novels that comprise her existence.

Three fellow travelers, Chrys, Palm, and Chief Granite, who have been along for the ride with Royce, have changed slightly, having grown along with Royce being the hope of this author. 

In the first novel, Disguise for Death, Royce's policeman husband, Eddy, is killed in the line of duty and she learns a secret she knew a part of and had learned to live with. But the letter Eddy left for her revealed something even more devastating for her.

Further revelations through the next two books test Royce's resilience to other shocks, and finally to a realization that, when life hands you lemons, the lemonade you make can be delicious.

Where did the characters in Disguise for Death come from? I have no idea. Royce sort of sprang fully formed from my imagination, it seemed. She'd already lost her husband, but that she might find happiness again, I hadn't really yet even thought about. At the time, I, myself, was not yet a widow, so I had to write how I thought a widow might feel. But Disguise was not published until after I became a widow, so I suppose I had to grow, too.