The Topaz Brooch Author Notes

First, all errors and inaccuracies belong to me! Keeping up with the MacKlenna Clan is like juggling with two hands and two feet, and in a book of this length, keeping all the balls in the air was crazy at times. I hope any errors you found didn’t interfere with your enjoyment of the story.

I didn’t set out to write a dark and raw book, but from the first page, it was apparent The Topaz Brooch would travel a different path to the hero and heroine’s Happily Ever After. I let the characters tell their story the way they wanted it told. I have tried throughout the series to let them stay true to themselves with all their inner demons and weaknesses, hoping they would eventually find their way to emotional freedom. Penny and Rick had a long way to go, but they got there, and I can’t wait to see how they manage married life. I think we’ll see a lot more of them in future Brooch books. And I’m glad Sophia and Pete had a chance to continue their story.

Special thanks to:

• Ken Muse, retired Chief of Endocrinology at the University of Kentucky. Ken has walked me through all the medical disasters in the Brooch books.
• My fantastic Editor Faith Freewoman and Virtual Assistant and Copy Editor Annette Glahn.
• Gunnery Sergeant John Retelsdorf, USMCR, retired, and his wife, Paula, beta readers and Marine Corps advisor.

Jean Lafitte was a fun character to write. No one knows what happened to him, but one thing is for sure, Jackson would have lost the battle if not for him.

General Andrew Jackson was ill during the entire War of 1812, and especially on the morning of January 8, 1815. Giving him antibiotics was a way for Sophia to work her way into the general’s inner circle.

For more information on New Orleans historical sites mentioned in the story, click here.

To see a map of the battlefield, click this link: Map of the attack and defense of the American lines below New Orleans on 8th January 1815. And for more information about Chalmette, click here.

To see the house I used for the Fontenots in 1814 New Orleans, click this link: Madame John’s Legacy, 632 Dumaine Street, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA. To see the Saint Charles Avenue house I moved to Mallory Plantation, click here. And if you want to know more about moving a house, click here.

To see pictures of the rental house the clan used in New Orleans, click here.

For beignets and café au lait, visit the Café Du Monde in New Orleans.

To see pictures of the Cabildo in New Orleans, click here.

For information about Jackson Square, click here.

The biggest and oldest bald cypress tree in the world—the Senator—was burned to the ground by a meth addict. You can see its remains in Big Tree Park in Longview, Florida. I moved it to Louisiana for purposes of this story.

If you’re interested in the metal detector used to find Lafitte’s treasure, check out the Nokta Makro Invenio Pro Pack Smart Metal Detector and 3D Imaging System.

If you’re interested in staying in a castle in Sweden, check out Torskog Castle.

For information about Massey Cancer Center bone marrow transplant program, click here.

Is the Gothia Cup for real? Yes, it is!

In July 2019, I accompanied my granddaughter Charlotte to Gothenburg, Sweden, to watch her play in the Gothia Cup on the girls ’04 team (those born on January 1, 2004, and later). Charlotte’s team played a Swedish team in the quarterfinals and lost during the penalty shoot-out. After playing so well all week, it was devastating to lose that way. But it was a fantastic trip. And yes, Charlotte and I rode scooters!

Between games, I walked over to the Gothenburg Museum to see the Viking exhibit. After seeing the ship and jewelry, I knew I wanted to include the museum in the story but didn’t know how I could work it in. Thanks to my “muse,” the story came together.

For more information about Jarlshof, click here and here.

For more information about the Crossed Keys symbol of the Illuminati, click here.

I didn’t know anything about Telomeres until I read the story about Mark and Scott Kelly. Since then, I discovered TeloYears and sent my blood sample in to have an analysis of my current telomere length. My average Telomere length puts me in the 58th percentile, which means that my telomeres are longer than 58% of women my age (69). My TeloYears is 65.

Several factors can influence Telomere length, such as physical activity, nutrition, quality of sleep, stress management, as well as chronic diseases. Along with the results, I received a Blueprint for Aging Well—eat fruit and vegetables, exercise, sleep, and reduce stress! Reduce stress? That’s hard to do when you hang out with the MacKlenna Clan!

It was fun to pick out music for Rick to sing. If you’d like to listen to the songs, check out The Topaz Brooch playlist on Spotify.

What’s next for the clan? I’m still tossing around ideas, but I’m thinking about a story involving Teddy Roosevelt, but I also want to do Austin’s story. So stay tuned.  

Blessings to all, Katherine