By Tihut Tamrat, Contributing Writer
On Saturday, June 15th, the San Diego Central Public Library held a book signing event on the first floor, across from the bookstore, for author Trisha R. Thomas of the Netflix Nappily Ever After series and film! Hailing from Riverside, CA, Thomas debuted her newest novel The Secret Keeper of Main Street to a curious audience that delivered a masterful tale of scandal and intuition.
To start off the event, Thomas, who went to Samuel Morse High School and graduated from USC, first told the audience about her background and how it influenced her novel. “When I was growing up I was a dressmaker from the age of 6. I could sew before I could probably read. My father taught me to sew, he was a dressmaker and a tailor, I learned from him. I decided to start my own company,” said Thomas.
The novel, set during a time of Thomas’ life when she used to own a bridal salon at 21 years of age, spoke of her adventures as a wedding dress designer to the audience. “These brides used to tell me their stories all the time, I was that person, I had that face where everybody tells me everything,” states Thomas.
Subsequently, Thomas recounts one of her best stories working as a dressmaker from a bride she serviced years ago who was a nurse of a couple that became widowed. When the wife died in her care, she married the widowed husband. “While I’m pinning her dress and getting it done she tells me the son and daughter of this woman who died [in her care] are having her investigated because they think [their mother] died under strange circumstances,” mentioned Thomas.
“A year later she came back [a second time] and said she was getting married again and she wanted me to make her dress! To a new husband! The wife had also died in her care. Same circumstances. [Two years later]she came back a third time, under different circumstances this time, no one died, but [she] still met him the same way”, exclaims Thomas.
Following her anecdote, Thomas tells us a little bit about what the novel is about and what we can look forward to. “It’s a mystery, thriller, romance, drama, everything you love.”
The novel, “Set in Oklahoma, where [Thomas’] family is from, a dressmaker has the gift of sight, so when she grazes the skin of one of the brides she’s pinning she can get a feel for if she is marrying her true love or if there is someone else out there that she should be with instead,” described Thomas.
The book is undeniably captivating and mysterious with unexpected twists and turns, truly a page-turner from start to finish! The novel takes you on an adventure following dressmaker Bailey Dowery and her socialite clients, specifically, the least jubilant bride she’s ever encountered, Elsa Grimes, revealing the most shocking twist of all, murder.
After Thomas read excerpts from her book for the awe-inspired audience and answered many inquisitive yet insightful questions, she signed copies of the books and shared kind words and wisdom that would last a lifetime.
