Andrea Kane (44 page)

In truth, a merchant ship the size of
La Belle Illusion
would have had a draught of approximately twelve feet and would therefore have been unable to pass through the narrow, shallow canals that led from Montreal to Lake Ontario. But in order to tell Drake and Alex’s story the way they demanded it be told—as you know, they are both impossibly strong-willed and unyielding—I took the liberty of allowing
La Belle
its passage into Lake Ontario and on to Little York.

Little York was much as I depicted it within these pages. I did take the following historical liberties. Fort York did exist in a far more basic form—a gun platform and a collection of log huts—in 1812. It was known as “the garrison on the lakefront” until 1816, when it was developed into Fort York. That name being rather cumbersome, I used “Fort York” four years prematurely. Also, the real governor’s home, called the Government House, stood right beside the garrison in 1800 until it was destroyed by the Americans in 1813. Like most homes in York at the time, it was a simple one-story frame house, not a grand mansion like the one occupied by the fictitious Geoffrey Cassel.

Alex, Drake, and I thank you for your indulgence.

I also thank the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation for providing me with historical details on the Saint Lawrence River.

Andrea Kane is the
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels—including fourteen historical and twelve contemporary novels—that have been published in sixteen countries and translated into more than twenty languages. Whether she’s writing about Regency England, America on the brink of civil war, or New York Police Department detectives caught up in mayhem and murder, Kane’s ability to create unforgettable stories has earned her a loyal worldwide following.

Kane published
My Heart’s Desire
, her first historical novel and the first book in the Barrett Family series, in 1991. Others quickly followed, including
Samantha
, the second book in that series;
Echoes in the Mist
and
Whispers in the Wind
(the Kingsley in Love series); and the acclaimed Black Diamond, Thornton-Bromleigh Family, and Colby Coin series. Stand-alone historic romances include
Dream Castle
(1992),
Masque of Betrayal
(1993),
Emerald Garden
(1996), and
The Music Box
(1998).

Kane’s groundbreaking romantic thriller
Run for Your Life
(2000) became an instant
New York Times
bestseller. This was followed by a series of suspense novels featuring NYPD detective-turned-private investigator Pete “Monty” Montgomery. Kane’s current contemporary series introduced FBI special agents Sloane Burbank and Derek Parker. Other thrillers include
No Way Out, Scent of Danger, Twisted, I’ll Be Watching You, The Girl Who Disappeared Twice,
and, most recently,
The Line Between Here and Gone.

Kane is a self-proclaimed “cerebral” type, and prides herself on her questioning, analytical mind, which has led to her passion for mysteries. She has spent many happy hours with the classic novels of Agatha Christie, trying to outsmart Hercule Poirot.

She is also a die-hard sentimentalist. She cries at old movies and believes in striving for happily-ever-after. In Kane’s words: “The idealist in me loves writing romance, and the pragmatist in me loves writing suspense. I feel very fortunate that I’m able to combine the two, and give you books that keep you at the edge of your seat, but at the same time, make you care.”

Kane lives in New Jersey with her family.

Andrea Kane as a little girl, with her first puppy, Inky, named for the black spots on his white back.

An eight-year-old Kane, a proud sleepaway camper for the first time.

A photo from Kane’s trip to the Thousand Islands (on the border of Canada and the United States) to research and write
My Heart’s Desire
. Kane toured the area by boat.

Kane and her husband, Brad, trying to simulate a novel’s cover pose while wearing period clothing.

Kane and her daughter, Wendi, outside Buckingham Palace during a weeklong research trip to England in 1998.

Kane and her daughter at Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney World Resort. Kane believes that the castle is the most romantic place for creative inspiration.

The first Kane family cruise, to Bermuda: rough waters but happy faces.

Kane posing with friends in various period costumes.

Kane’s publication party and her first book signing for the release of
My Heart’s Desire
in 1991.