Have you ever read a book and scratched your head at a familiar reference you couldn’t quite place? You’ve read it somewhere before, maybe in another work from that author. Perhaps what you’ve stumbled over is an author’s hidden gem, otherwise known as a nod, a wink, or an easter egg (I’m not capitalizing here because I’m using “easter egg” as a noun of non-holiday-related nature).
When I come across these little hidden gems in a favorite author’s work, they make me smile. It’s like a little wave or wink from the author that I, as a reader, adore. Could be a reference to a fictional town or business from another series. Or maybe a character from one series will show up in another and help the plot or characters along. Sometimes it’s a real-life story from the author’s life only a select handful of people will know. Often they’re subtle enough a new reader might not notice, while a devout fan will recognize the reference and snicker to themselves while reading.
Last year, Meghan Whistler wrote a fun post on these literary easter eggs, featuring a number of books from several InspyRomance authors. I’m going a slightly different direction here and sharing the many, many hidden gems / winks / nods / easter eggs I’ve placed within the pages of my nineteen plus books published thus far. If you’ve read any or all of my books, it could be fun to see if you’ve caught any or if they were perhaps a bit too sneaky. 😁
I’ll try not to give away too many spoilers for those who haven’t read these books yet, but no promises.
What Could Be – As my debut novel, this prequel to the Everyday Love series is the origin book for several characters and locations that become hidden gems in future books. Brynn’s church, Grace Springs, and Josh’s church, Well of Hope, are two examples. The Walmart scene with Brynn’s ex is loosely based on a story my best friend told me, only I gave Brynn the closure my friend didn’t have. (Actually, I write a lot of easter eggs specifically for M, since she has been brainstorming with me and talking up my books to anyone who will listen from the very beginning. lol!)
Whatever Comes Our Way – Gina and Jaydon somehow work their way into more of my books than any other characters. Hailee and Javi also appear in Becoming Us, which I co-wrote with Jenn Faulk!
What Makes a Home – In an early scene, Jobie’s roommate is babysitting her nephew, Brendan. There’s a brief glimpse into Josh and Brynn’s (What Could Be) lives courtesy of Jenna, Josh’s sister. There’s also a side character who keeps Jobie company later in the book, and while Leah’s book has never been published, I’ve had a half-finished manuscript for her for years.
Whatever Happens Next – All of the main characters from the series show up in this series finale, but the fun easter eggs are in the locations. BurqueñoBurger, Sindee’s, Becks, and Dino’s are all restaurants that appear in this series and are all based on real-life local favorites. I don’t even try to rename them very cleverly (Blake’s Lotaburger, Sadie’s, Weck’s, and Dion’s). Readers may also note that several scenes between Dyson and his sister Vera appear almost identically from her POV in the novella Christmas Mercy. Fun fact, my parents lived in Altus, OK for several years, and the conversation Jenna has with the liquor store attendant actually happened to me one visit while I was looking for Manischewitz blackberry wine for a cake recipe.
Adrift – This was the 3rd book I published, a journal-style women’s fiction novella. I don’t specifically use her name, but Erin mentions a pretty blonde worship leader with an amazing voice. Some may notice this sounds an awful lot like Brynn!
More Than Enough – Jaydon and Gina snuck their way into this book! I didn’t intend it, but those two are sneaky and ended up being an important part of Ada and Kent finding their footing together. The disease that took Kent’s infant son’s life also stole two children from a high school friend. She’ll likely never read my books, but this was my way of raising awareness on the subject in her honor. This title is also interconnected with Amanda Tru’s When Snowflakes Never Cease, as they were originally released in a boxed set of the same name.
Braver With You – Jaydon and Gina show up again in this one as Conrad and Ashlyn’s former youth pastors. Also, Ashlyn’s rather controlling mom runs an event planning company called Memorable Events. Her mom is Lauren’s boss in my newsletter freebie novelette, Just Say Yes.
Can’t Fight the Mistletoe – Dan is reading the book Garrett Wilson was writing in Love, Laughter, and Luminarias. This was another subtle one, but it makes me smile. The biggest hidden gem for this book, though, has to do with What Makes a Home. Alessia’s former boss has the same name as the staff member who helped Caleb’s grandpa Harold and Mabel with their wedding. There’s also a nod to Jobie’s art classes, indicating it’s the same community.
I’ll be honest, I cannot remember if I wrote any hidden gems into the Sinclair sisters books. Their stories have so much overlap between each other’s histories, any more might’ve been too much. Though I will be writing Ramsey’s story—the chef Tobin meets in Now and Forever Christmas—later this year, so there will likely be a few cameos and hidden gems in that book. People always ask me if Ojo del Oso or Appel Baumfarm are real. Sadly, no hidden gems there. I wish I could direct people there and boost tourism, but sadly, I had to invent a fictional Christmas tree farm and mountain town to hold it.
My two fairy tales, A Splash of Love and Unkissable, exist in the same world but they’re not currently related to any of my other books as far as I know (those pesky details often elude me 😬). Marisol’s story needs to be written, so it’s possible somebody could weasel their way in. Or perhaps they’ll have to visit a certain small mountain town or senior living facility. Hmm… ha ha!
So… what do you think? Did I go a bit overboard? lol! How do you feel about hidden gems/easter eggs when you find them in books? What hidden gems / winks / nods / easter eggs have you noticed while reading recently? Share in the comments!
Also, this is my last post before we say goodbye to InspyRomance. Wah! I’m going to miss interacting with you all in the comments. I hope you’ll remain part of my online community either via social media or by joining my email newsletter crew. It’s been a joy and a privilege to be part of the IR team these past several years.
Lover of Jesus, family, books, coffee, music, and crafting (in that order), Jaycee Weaver is perpetually pursuing at least one of her passions. She writes contemporary Christian romance stories featuring realistic characters in everyday situations where God is at work in big ways. She appreciates books where the characters face shortcomings, temptations, and adversity but always get their happy ending, so that’s what she writes.
This is interesting as I had thought of hidden gems as something an author puts in a book that is a surprise. For example (not giving title or author) I know one book there the hero has a sibling who struggles with health issues (is more capable than the brother thinks) and they are arranging a wedding with the idea of visiting the sibling on his honeymoon. The sibling turns up where he lives to surprise him. This was so unexpected and something that needs to NOT be in a review.
I have read books where someone from a previous series has turned up but hadn’t thought of that as a hidden gem.
It’s been nice getting to know you over the past years. All the best for the future.
I have read many books that have had hidden gems in them. They make me smile when I find them. I just never thought of them as hidden gems. I like that term.
I love when characters show up in other books. It feels like a visit with an old friend.
I haven’t noticed any easter eggs in my current reads, but I do enjoy finding them in my books. :D
I love finding Easter eggs and nods to an author’s other books in later stories. The angels from Karen Kingsbury’s Angels Walking series have made appearances in a few of her other books.
I love when the author throws in little easter eggs. It’s like a wink to the reader who pays attention!
Thanks, Jenny! Maybe it’s a regional thing, but I’d call what you’re referring to as a “spoiler,” a detail that would spoil the plot/twist for another reader. 😊Thabkd for being a faithful IR reader!
A lot of people like “Easter eggs,” and that’s the most common term, but I think hidden gems fits better. Clearly I have no problem arguing for my own terms 🤣
Right?! Me too!
😊 They are fun,
Very cool!
Exactly!!
I love to find those little gems and/or Easter eggs. They make me smile. I follow so many authors and don’t always read a complete series at once, so sometimes I miss those gems. Therefore, I am really excited when I catch one.
I have enjoyed Inspy and met a ton of good, Christian authors. I am grateful for all of you. I do get your newsletters. I will miss Inspy, but see you on other social media.
God bless. ❤❤
Yup!
I may not always catch them but it’s nice to read the interconnectedness between characters, I feel like it makes them more real, y’know? After all, no man is an island, standing (or living) all by themselves.
Good quotes from other books or authors are also nice hidden gems.
I’m already stalking you, too!! I do like hidden gems, and one of the authors I edit for put quite a few in the last book of hers I did! I’d say her readers in her readers group on FB should be able to pick them out, too, but new readers probably won’t.
Oh my, but I will so miss IR. I love finding little hidden gems in books. Keeps reading fun and sometimes whimsical
Hi, yes I love finding little hidden gems in books. So very interesting and lots of fun.
I love to hide easter eggs in my books! Bodie Theone does it with hers and I e read her books for decades.
I enjoy easter eggs sprinkled throughout stories, especially in a series. That’s part od what makes books in a series so fun.
I love it when authors add them to their books! Either, as you said, by featuring a character from a different series in the author’s new one, or by mentioning a certain place. I’m currently reading Critical Witness by Tara Grace Ericson, and after hearing about it on social media, reading about the Screaming Peach had me smiling (also, I finally got it! Lol.)
Thank you for all your time here! This blog will certainly be missed.
I love coming across hidden gems, like mentions of former characters – I wonder if I miss them sometimes though as they can be really subtle. I think it’s lovely you have special ones that are based on real life that only a few people would recognise.
Thank you for all your blog posts here, I have signed up to your newsletter but I will miss reading you and all the other writers here.
I’ve heard of the term Easter eggs but I love the term hidden gem and love finding them in books. Sadly I found this wonderful Inspy group late, like in the last year or so. I’ve enjoyed the time I did have though. I will be keeping in touch with everyone even if I’m mostly quiet.
Thank you, Bonnie!
So true! I especially love when you can tell a few authors are friends and they name drop in each other’s books. 😆
Love that!!
Yes! Agreed. 😊
I agree! 😆
Ooh! I haven’t read hers in ages!
Absolutely!
Ooh! Love Tara. That’s on my TBR!
Thank you, Ruthie! I’ll miss it too.
I’m glad you discovered us, even if it was later. I look forward to getting to know you in my newsletter! (And it’s totally ok to be quiet!)
I enjoy Easter eggs in stories. They add a little extra fun to stories.
Jaycee, it is bittersweet to say goodbye to Inspy Romance. I will miss the daily posts. You are not going to get rid of me though. I am following you. Hugs. I enjoy finding Easter eggs. I am not sure if I notice them right away or if I figure it out as I think about the story after I have read it. When they do hit my mind. I smile and say, “Oh.” Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
doesn’t matter to me
I love easter eggs and little gems in books! It is always so fun to read them and try to connect the dots. I read a couple of books where the main character will be reading books by real authors which is always fun!
I am so sad to say goodbye to Inspy Romance but I am so glad that I was able to find it before it disbanded
I loooove hidden gems/Easter eggs, most recently I encountered one where an author referenced another of her books in the form of a fictional story that exists in the universe of the book I read, and the main character was reading it. That was so cute to me. The more Easter eggs the merrier!!
I love hidden gems – be they characters or situations from another book or from actual history. I leave them too sometimes.
Hm…I’ve never thought about it this way – I’m usually highlighting (thank you Kindle) the hidden gems when I’m reading – something that touched me deeply.
Agreed! 😊
I don’t think I have noticed any hidden gems in books.
They are fun and make me smile. I hadn’t considered characters crossing between books as Easter Eggs and I am so impressed with how you can keep track of them after so many great books!
I like when an author adds hidden things like this, it’s fun to try to figure them out when I catch them. It’s cool when I get them stuff he off too.
I love hidden gems and when characters pop up in other books!