Goodreads asked Randy Eberle:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Randy Eberle Years ago, I came across this creepy looking ceramic mask (for wall decor, not for wearing) with delicate, feminine feathers and wild stark-white hair. At the base of this was a "jester's collar", with little bells at the end of each of the four or five points (I thought it'd be fun to hang this on the wall just high enough so that my cats...of which I have many...could jump up and bat at the bells without knocking the mask off the wall). Painted on the face of this piece were the features of a cat; more subtle than the face-paint used by the actors of the broadway musical, but obvious just the same. Sounds cute, right? Sure it is! But there was also something disturbing about it, just below the surface, that I to this day can't quite put my finger on. One day, I sort of laughed half-heartedly (or was it nervous laughter?) and said to my wife (at the time), "This probably belonged to a little girl years ago. Might even have been her favorite thing in the WHOLE WORLD! Who knows, maybe her soul is trapped inside this thing, just waiting to get out!" I laughed again (convincing myself that I thought this was funny), and the seed that became "Victoria" was planted.

I still have the mask on my wall. And it demands my undivided attention from time to time.

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