The Diamond Legacy Family Tree

Joe Fraser here, Adam’s estranged son. Suddenly I’m related to a whole bunch of strangers. More damn relations to complicate my already complex family.

I'm fighting the urge to break into maniacal laughter. What the hell next will life throw my way? Flood...famine...pestilence? As if it’s not enough that I’m divorced and struggling to maintain a relationship with my ten year old daughter. Struggling not to yell at Adam, ‘I’ll never forgive you for abandoning me so quit trying.’

Because my daughter’s all the family I need apart from my uncle Daniel.

Except...my stunned gaze collides with Sue’s. Not all strangers. We share our first unguarded moment since she dumped me eleven years ago in high school. Sue...my cousin? It’s unbelievable...I scan the other people in the room... Aunt...something and her husband. The pretty blond with the friendly smile... what was her name again? Belle.. Another cousin. And that bombastic asshole - Sam Carson – her father.

My uncle now. Oh great. Like the Fraser/Kanes didn’t already have their cross to bear. My heart sinks on another realization and instinctively my gaze swings to my father’s. In Adam’s eyes I see the same stricken grief.

War hero Billy Fraser is not Adam’s father, not my grandfather. The Medal of Honor the family holds so sacred...the war record that was my happiest link with my father...broken. Turned to dust.

Instinctively I reach out to Adam but my father’s already returned his gaze to the lawyer. Hell, instead of pitying Adam, I should be warning these new relatives not to lend him any money. Or is there an inheritance Adam could squander on booze and lost causes? ‘Uncle’ Sam Carson has a right to look worried.

Oh hell. I gotta call Daniel.

Wow.  Grandfather was the one man I actually thought I could trust. 
Now, finding out that all these years he's been lying to all of us...

It's almost too big a betrayal to grasp. It affects every part of our lives.  Who are the Carsons now, really?  We definitely aren't who we thought we were!

I'm
not even sure what to feel.  A tiny part of me has always
longed for a bigger family, one of those romping, laughing, chaotic
families who have your back no matter what.  But these angry men, Joe and his father, Adam,
aren't going to bring that dream to life.  Everyone's been
cheated, and I honestly don't see where we can go from here.

I know I shouldn't be complaining.  Of all of us, technically, I've been the least affected.  The least betrayed.  

But
I've got to deal with Dad.  It's going to be ugly, now that Aunt Jenny has inherited the
Carson Diamond.  It's always been the symbol of his importance, his unique place in the family. 

Sam Carson, the only natural-born heir, the only "real" child in the
Carson family.  Guess that myth's exploded now. Sue's mother--not adopted, but a true Carson.  And Sue my real cousin.  I'm trying to hang on to that one happy thought.

Still, what a mess!  I love my dad.  Or at least I try to.  For my mother's sake, if
nothing else, I would like to placate him. 

But if Dad keeps this up, he's going to split this family wide open.  Not just the "original" Carsons from the newcomers, but us from each other, too.  Because, really, how much longer can Mom
hang on?

And where, in all this awful mess, should my loyalties
lie?  With the family I never knew I had?  With the mother who craves
peace at any cost?  

I wish I could have a long lunch with Sue, and sort it all out.  But she's so busy with the babies, and I'm working seven days a week just to impress the editor at the newspaper.  I've only worked there a month, and the rumor mill hints that layoffs are coming.  As everyone always says, it's "last in, first out."

Hardly the best time to cope with a family earthquake.  But I'll just keep my fingers crossed.  Even if I do get laid off, there's no way I'm going to Dad, hat in hand, asking for a loan.  I'll sweep the streets first.

Belle

And I thought my family tree branches were a little crooked! Looks like I'm going to need some help with the lot of you. A therapist I'm not. I've had my own crosses to bear and family secrets that have snuck out of the proverbial closet, but this is just...a mess. I feel for all of you, I really do.

Rae, the host who's going to try and get some reinforcements

Jessiecue, I can definitely tell you, you don't want secrets.  I'm learning that the hard way!  And the worst thing is, I've got a secret of my own that I just don't have the courage to share.

Did I say I was learning something?  Apparently not enough!   Maybe I should be more sympathetic toward my grandfather.  My secret is just embarrassing..  But his....his was a world-rocker.

How will we get through this?

Love,

Belle

What a terrific enticement to a series - I love secrets (other people's anyway). Can't wait till it's out?

Definitely intriguing. An enticing glimpse into the whole series.

Their family tree is definitely gnarly (and I don't mean that in the "cool" way).  So many questions, not the least of which is why does Sue have all these babies?  Is she fostering them, or does she run an orphanage?  I'm still trying to untangle the relationships in my mind.  Yes, I guess that Joe and Sue are cousins, but not as close cousins as if their parents had shared the same mother and father.  Sheesh!  Probably a good thing they didn't ever have sex.  (Well, definitely a good thing, especially since they were just babies in high school at the time.)  I wonder why she didn't let anyone know she and Joe were an item back then?  Hmmmm.

Questions, questions, questions!

I really feel for all of you. What a huge shock to find out such a dark secret has been kept for so many years and the impact the revelation has had. Sounds like your family had enough to deal with already and then to hhave this thrown at you at such a time? I hope everythign works out so youall can find the happiness you deserve.

Well hopefully you and Joe can have a cousin friendly relationship. I know I have a cousin who is like a sister to me. Maybe you guys can find that brother sister type relationship. I hope you two can find it in your hearts to forgive one another.

Like the saying goes...Forgive, but don't forget.  Joe.

I'll take it on advisement Jessiecue. I notice a few New Zealanders have come online to make comments. My daughter, Kaitlin has a Kiwi teacher she raves about. I haven't met Miss Browne yet but she certainly impresses my little girl.

Joe

Well, finally something good to share!  I think I mentioned that I'm working at a newspaper.  It's been my dream forever!  Today I got teamed with the best investigative reporter on staff, and he's going to teach me some things  about researching a story.  I'm so excited!  Maybe if I can get some experience under my belt, I can survive any layoffs that might be coming!

Dad didn't even want me to shoot for a journalism career.  He says there's no money in it, and the industry is shrinking with no room for newcomers.  You've gotta love dad's Neanderthal attitude.  He's furious because I broke up with David, which would have been an "advantageous marriage."  LOL  Whatever that means!  I didn't love him;, but apparently that isn't required, in Dad's book.

Anyhow, today I'm feeling optimistic, which is a nice chance of pace!  Can't wait to learn everything I can!

Belle

Good morning, all! As the editor of this fantastic continuity, I have a question to throw at the authors behind the heroes and heroines of the Diamond Legacy. You'd better believe this family tree was complex! How hard was it to write books about the third generation of a family secret (presumably somewhat removed) and were you as worried as your editor (!) about explaining who everybody was, past and present? Were there any tricks up your sleeves to help you simplify the storytelling? AND, was your editor on this project the very best editor you've ever worked with?

Sincerely,

Victoria

It sounds like you guys had an absolute blast planning this project. I can't wait to buy the books. I want to wait and read them all at once though. I am afraid if I order them early then I will read them and not understand who the characters are in the next one.

I was terrified going into this continuity with all these writing heavyweights. I felt like Harpo Marx stepping into the ring with three Mohammed Ali's. But boy, did I learn a lot from these great writers.

Fortunately I already knew Victoria was a great editor as she’s mine. (I’m trying not to say that too possessively!).

I think one of the strengths of the series is that there were no ‘bad guys’ in the original 1949 love triangle. Only good people who in difficult times (just after WWII) made errors of judgement, suffered for them and then tried to fix them – with the muddled, mixed-success results of real human beings.

Victoria was very clear on that, a reflection of her quality as an editor, and the other authors were quick to agree. From memory, I just gulped and nodded. But it set the tone for the whole series and led to great and powerful loves for our characters. And important themes like forgiveness, redemption and transformation.

Logistically, the series worked in fits and starts, according to people’s schedule and deadlines.

I think the turning point came when we were able to read each other’s characters in action. Plot possibilities started opening up. Other people’s characters became real.

I started viewing the world we’d invented through Joe’s eyes and he prioritised relationships for me. That made things a lot easier. As an example, his grandmother was the only important person in the love triangle, at least initially, because Sarah and Robert Carson were strangers.

Joe’s heroine, Philippa, knew nothing about the family history...and Joe didn’t want her to! I could reveal family conflicts through her eyes which hopefully makes it easier for the reader. Which only increases my respect for Tara’s skill in having to bring our cast of characters to life so early in the first book.

And I had a lot of fun. Kathleen gave us Sam Carson, Belle’s father, and my all time favourite villain - though Sam would insist he’s the only one in this damn family with his head screwed on.

It was like Xmas getting scenes from the other writers and reading how Tara, Kathleen and Janice had written my Joe (much scarier writing their characters).

And most of all I loved how individual ideas came together for plot twists and turns that readers’ won’t see coming.

Just wait until you read Janice’s series ending. Oh boy.

Karina

If I was going to buy each book in the series ((hanging head in shame)), but after reading the excerpt and this section, well.....all of them are on my list!!

Marcie

As a writer, I love to hear how the process works on a series like this and as a reader, it just amplifies all the hard work, the thought and the time that goes into a series as complicated and twisted as this one is. It's always cool for me as a reader to see the characters through different voices and eyes. I love series, period and I'm not saying that had one of you written this that it wouldn't have been as good, but I have an appreciation for those of you who are willing to step out on a limb, to plan and plot and make an idea your own and yet part of the group.

Did I say that right? I've only had half a cup of coffee so far.

I have to take my youngest to the bus stop, but when I come back I have another cover to load--the last one in this awesome series. And I'm sure on my walk I'll think of more things to say/talk about. I had another question and it skittered out of my head when my ten-year-old asked me where his book bag was....

Be back shortly,

Rae

When you were brainstorming this idea, who chose who you were going to write about? Did you all bring your characters to the table or were suggestions thrown about? Did that make sense? And how did you decide who was going to have who? As an example, why did Tara choose Sue?

Rae

Yes, it will be interesting to hear the other author's take on this. The process itself amazes me, even as a reader. I think having a glimpse behind the scenes makes the books more special. Thanks for sharing your process.

Rae