There is no such thing as “the perfect couple.” Every pair has to decide if there’s a strong enough foundation of love and affection to support their relationship over the long haul. Some get it right — some get it wrong. It’s the first of many decisions that come with major consequences for the characters at the core of Dann Darwin’s new book, Love and Betrayal: The Secrets We Keep.
In this new, bittersweet romance, Darwin delivers an intimate exploration of a relatable couple as life takes them from Texas to North Dakota and to Nevada throughout their 40-year relationship. Darwin’s narrative unfolds chronologically and realistically as Charles, a newspaper reporter, and Wendy, a watercolor artist, grapple with powerful currents of love, hate, lust and betrayal, often pulling friends and lovers into their complicated lives.
Key relationship issues, including career aspirations, the stress of relocating and infidelity will prompt readers to ask themselves how they’d cope with similar situations.
“Readers are going to discover that there are many, many consequences to our actions,” Darwin said.
Did they even have a plan? Wendy wonders at one point. Or did they do what every young couple does: fall in love, get married and just hope everything works out OK?
Far from stereotypical pulp fiction romances, Love and Betrayal depicts imperfect, relatable characters who make mistakes — lots of them, in fact — while navigating the inherent uncertainty of modern-day relationships.
Ultimately, the relationship between Wendy and Charles comes full circle in many respects, and the couple experiences the climax of their decades-long, bittersweet love. If only they had known on their wedding day almost 40 years ago. If only they had known.
I had a chance to learn more in this interview.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was inspired to write this book because I’ve often wondered about couples who meet, fall in love and begin a life together. And I wondered: Why do some stay in love and watch their relationship grow? And why do other relationships fall by the wayside? And what are the key moments in a relationship that define whether they move forward or fall apart?
What has been the biggest challenge in the transition from journalism to fiction writing?
The biggest challenge has actually been a transformation. As a career newspaperman, I constantly asked who, what, when, where and why? And most critically, how come? Those basic questions still apply and serve readers well. I might add, social media would be much more relevant if those posting asked a few of those questions. But now as a full-time writer of fiction, I get to ask another question: What if? What if she met him? What if it worked? What if something special and unusual happened? What if their lives took a direction neither imagined were possible? Asking “What if?” allows the writer to speculate, to consider all possibilities and to venture into another dimension.
What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
That relationships are hard. That they are no magic ingredients. That they are everyday challenges. That life sometimes takes us down unpredictable roads — and that sometimes those twists in the road of life will be surprising and revealing. That we all make choices, either consciously or subconsciously, that determine how our lives will play out. And that it’s never too late to start again and get it right. And that home, whether it’s in Texas, North Dakota or Nevada, is a very special and warm place.
Award-winning journalist Daniel Behringer, who writes fiction under the pen name Dann Darwin, worked in the newspaper industry in Michigan, Texas, Utah and Nevada for nearly 40 years. He won numerous awards before turning to fiction and longer narratives. His other novels include Wilson’s Women, One Year and Hearts in Play.
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