Lydia
- Linnae Klutchko
- Mar 15
- 5 min read
March Character Interview
Patricia Parrington ~ March 15, 2025
Hello my lovely readers and fellow book-lovers! For those of you who are new here, I, your comfy host Patricia Parrington, have the pleasure of interviewing characters from books all over the world.
Today we have here with us Lydia from the historical romantic suspense book Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill. Crystal is the Christy Award winning author of faith-filled, “dangerously good historical romance.” Learn more about her Gilded Age novels, bonus material, and how to connect with her through her website, crystalcaudill.com.
Meet Lydia
Welcome to Fable Features!
[Patricia flops onto the comfy orange suede couch and smiles at her guest.]
Tell me a little bit about where you’re from. Do you have many good memories from there?
I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio, in that magnificent year of 1880. Things are a little smoky from all the factories, and there aren’t the modern amenities of electricity and whatnot you have, but I love where I live. Especially since all the criminal activity is great fodder for writing my mystery dime novels. I have lots of memories laying on the floor next to the vent that led to my coroner and physician father’s home office. There was nothing like eavesdropping on his conversations with police officers and learning about the underworld he’d rather I’d have stayed oblivious to.
[Patricia’s eyes widen.]
That sounds cool—and dangerous. I would’ve been scared surrounded by criminal activity like that.
What’s a crazy concept you believed as a child?
I thought all villains wore black clothes, big capes, and walked around laughing maniacally with their hands up by their mouth and fingers wiggling. Like this.
[Lydia wiggles her fingers by her nose and laughs in a terrible squeaky laugh.]
[Patricia laughs as well.]
I admit, I might’ve thought the same thing when I was little.
Without saying the category, what are your top five?
I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking. There are so many categories. Are we talking books? Weapons? Foods? Etc.? Oh wait . . . do you mean like this?
1. Fountain Pens
2. Thick paper
3. Leather bound journals
4. Crayons
5. Sharp letter openers
I love this question because I never know what people will say. I love your answer!
[Patricia taps her chin, thinking.]
These items sound like desktop items. And you had mentioned earlier you’re a writer, so that fits well! When did you first become interested in writing?
I think I started writing around the same time I started eavesdropping on Papa. I’d hear the police officer’s stories, and I’d want to fix it and make it better, so I did it with my pen. Of course, now I realize perhaps that wasn’t the best course of action, but I’m still not convinced it was wrong to do that.
What a mysterious answer! I hope writing wasn’t the wrong course of action for you.
Do you have any hobbies? Or a hobby you wish you had time for?
Besides writing mystery and romance novels, me and my friends—we call ourselves the Guardians—will help others who are in trouble. In fact, I recently helped my friend rescue an abused three-legged goat from the circus. Now that was an adventure, and I now have a healthy fear of monkeys.
I love that you help others in trouble! Including three-legged goats. I might have to hear that story sometime in full detail.
When was the last time you cried?
When I disappointed my dad the other day. We have a really good relationship . . . or had one. I really messed up, and I’m afraid it will never be the same.
[Patricia’s brow furrows.]
Oh no! Can I ask what happened?
Well, these crime stories I write are published under the pen name, E.A. Dupin. Women really aren’t supposed to write crime novels in my day. We’re pretty much relegated to romances, which is okay, but I really prefer bringing justice to the world through my pen. Unfortunately, I may have allowed the publisher to believe some assumptions about E.A. Dupin’s identity and manipulated them to use me, Lydia, as the go between for them and Dupin. On top of that, I kind of, sort of . . . stole peeks into Papa’s case files for details on the stories I was writing. I used real crimes where the criminal got away with it because of corruption and rewrote the endings, so I needed those details. When I finally had to tell Papa both of those things . . . yeah. I’m not sure our relationship will ever be the same again.
Oh man. That would certainly create tension in your relationship with him. I’m sorry you’re going through that right now.
[Patricia adjusts the couch pillows.]
Let’s move onto something a bit lighter, yes? What was the best compliment you’ve ever received?
I thought it was a compliment to have someone like my writing so much they wanted to copy it. I mean it makes you feel good to have someone want to be like you. Except, this person took a little too far. I’m not sure if I should be horrified at them or at myself for the fact they chose to bring the worst parts of my books to life.
That doesn’t sound good! And you said they’re bringing parts of the book to life? That sounds ominous. What exactly are they doing?
Well . . . I write murder mysteries where all the bad guys end up dying in similar fashions to the crimes that were committed. A vigilante has decided to take on the identity of my hero and is murdering the real criminals who inspired my stories. Thanks to the details I stole from Papa’s files, it wasn’t too hard for him to figure out who was my inspiration. Especially since all those cases were on the front pages of the newspapers. I have eight books published, with another under contract, and four men are already dead.
[Patricia’s green eyes widen.]
Oh no! Now I understand why you were hesitant if writing these books had been a good idea. I can’t believe someone actually went vigilante like that! I hope the police catch them soon.
What’s something you’ve never tried before?
Bugs. Eww. I hear some people eat them. shudders That is so gross.
[Patricia shudders as well.]
I don’t think I could ever get myself to try a bug either.
Looks like we have time for one last question! What would you say is your greatest treasure?
I have this manuscript box that I bought and had engraved after I sold my first manuscript. It’s simple, but it represents all the hard work it took to get here. Unfortunately, mistakes were made, and I’m afraid my greatest treasure will also become my greatest downfall.
The manuscript box sounds lovely! And that’s a heavy burden to bear.
[Patricia stands.]
It was a pleasure getting to know you, Lydia. And I hope those mistakes are reversable and you can stop this vigilante.
End of interview.
Want to Read More?
Lydia’s author, Crystal Caudill, can be found on Facebook, Instagram, GoodReads, and BookBub. You can sign up for her newsletter here and you can buy Written in Secret on Amazon, Baker Book House, or Christianbook.
Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill
See Ya Next Time
Aaand that's all the time we have today. Thank you, readers, for coming. And thank you, Lydia, for letting us get to know you! See y'all next time.
If you would like to submit a character to be interviewed for a future issue of Fable Features, please send an email to linnae.writer@gmail.com with the subject line: Fable Features.
Please note that erotica and content with excessive vulgar language will not be accepted.
If you have questions you'd like Patricia Parrington to ask in a future interview, please submit them to linnae.writer@gmail.com with the subject line: Interview Questions.
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