WELCOME TO THE HOME OF THE ILLICIT THINGS BOOK SERIES
On this page you will find the origins of the Illicit Things series, Series Dedication, Fun Facts, Character Lists, and Book Quotes.
THE ORIGINS OF THE ILLICIT THINGS SERIES
In 2021, Channel 10 (partly owned by CBS), decided to show multiple episodes of Blue Bloods across four days a week. We would get between 4-8 per episodes depending on how many they showed per night.
After many a week of episodes, one morning in September, I came out of REM state after having a dream about the Reagan family, and my brain had this conversation with my conscience.
Brain: That would make an awesome novel
Conscience: But he’s too young, I can’t write that.
Brain: It’s fiction, yes you can.
Conscience: Yeah…I could.
It was an awesome idea for a novel, but I had to put it on the back burner for other things, thus extinguishing the inspiration for it. Which was a pity, because that idea was something else; it made me rub my hands together at all of the twists and turns my brain was coming up with. That has NEVER happened with any other book I’ve written.
Then, in October, I had the idea for its partner in crime. Book two. Running along the same timeline, telling the story from a different point of view. But then, in November, along came an idea after seeing Jason Sudeikis in the movie Colossal, and the idea was left in the dust.
In February 2022, I started the first novel. But eight pages in I had no idea what I was doing because it was going to be the first book in a duology and I’d never written a duology that coincided with each other’s timeline. I had no clue which way I was going to write them, and, because I wanted to get something published in September, I decided to let them go and write the other idea I’d had instead. Which became Anything for You.
After finishing AFY, I chose to work on something that went from being a trilogy to a novel, and that became Burning Desires, which I released in 2024 as I had decided to have a break from publishing, something I had done every year for 9 years, in 2023.
Later that year, I finally opened up a notebook and started writing the first Blue Bloods inspired novel which became Her. I made the decision to not worry about how I was going to write book 2, and just complete book 1 and see how I went.
In April 2024, I wrote the second book, which became Him. And, unfortunately, because my characters are authors, I had to come up with titles and premises for their books, and goddamn it, some of them were so good I wanted to start writing them. Here’s the conversation my brain had with my muse.
Muse: You know those book titles the characters have…
Brain: Warily glances at her. Yessss….
Muse: They’re really good, aren’t they?
Brain: Sighs. They are…
Muse: You know what’s going to happen, right?
Brain: Dammit! I’m going to have to write them, aren’t I?
Out of all the titles, I picked only one that made sense, and that book became Madam X, the prequel and third book in the series.
Technically, the book was going to be a stand-alone about a madam mentioned in the duology, but it quickly became the prequel to the entire story and the reason why everything that happens in Her and Him. It exploded as sneaky idea after sneaky idea came pouring into my brain. So, while it’s the third book in the series, because it will be more fun finding out the reason after the other two, it’s very much a prequel, and just under half the size.
During the time between novels, I started an essay on Joe Hill, a character from the show. The first round of it was 14,000 words, by the end of the series it was 21,315. It’s free to read here on my website. You can see that essay here.
SERIES DEDICATION
This series is dedicated to the crime fighting Reagan family, especially Sean. Sometimes, Blood is not thicker and definitely not Blue, and the truly wrong will always pay for their sins.
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE ILLICIT THINGS SERIES
– Her is 129,831 words, and was written in 25 days across six weeks from October 1st to November 8th, 2023.
– Him is 137,134 words, and was written in 27 days across six weeks and two days from April to May, 2024.
– Madam X is 60,640 words, and was typed up in 13 days across two weeks in April, 2025.
– The entire series is dedicated to the Reagan family, especially Sean, since he started this whole debacle.
– The series name is a book title that one of the characters wrote in the first book.
– Her and Him are actually titles from within the books that the characters wrote.
– The cover for Her was inspired by the last shot of the opening titles of Blue Bloods. I saw the upside city, blue tinge, shadow silhouette of a woman in my head, but she became rose tinged for a female. The idea for Him, was of two male hands holding jail cell bars as the character was originally going to be in jail for six months, but I changed it. Him took on the opposite look of Her, using the blue tinge of the BB title image for a male. I even gave my cover designer a screengrab of it to show what I wanted. Madam X has no tinge as it didn’t work well so we left it all white, and all three books have the same font and imagery overall.
SYDNEY KINGSTON – Aussie best-selling author, 47, brunette, average height
AMY ALDRIDGE – Sydney’s assistant, nondescript
EMERSON LAKE – producer, director, writer, Sydney’s best friend, long black curls, big busty curvy figure
CC CHARLESTON – owner of Pulsate Publishing, 70s, slim, 5’10, loves Chanel, soft grey curls
OLIVIA SUTTON – Sydney’s agent, nondescript
GEMMA MADISON – Sydney’s editor, nondescript
LONDON – Pulsate receptionist, 20s, blonde
VICTOR BROTHERS – Pulsate YA editor, nondescript
MICHAEL CAMBRIDGE – Pulsate adult editor, nondescript
ERIC VEMBER – Pulsate attorney, nondescript
RHONA MILLGATE – Pulsate’s publicist, flaming short red hair, 50s, flamboyant clothing
HOLLAND LANDON – owner of Landon Security, friend of Cormac’s, ex-cop, 60s
LANDON SECURITY GUARDS – nondescript
CORMAC RYAN – NYPD PC, 70, Tom Selleck in his younger years, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes
DOUGLAS RYAN – Cormac’s father, 90s, former NYPD PC, picture Len Cariou
ALEC RYAN – attorney, Cormac’s eldest son, mid-late 40s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, younger Alec Baldwin
SONJA MOLKOV RYAN – Alec’s wife, interior designer, 40s, blonde
BRANDON RYAN – their son, pompous, arrogant, 21, brunet
SIERRA RYAN – their daughter, pompous, arrogant, 19, brunette
CONNOR RYAN – Detective, Cormac’s second son, mid 40s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, the actor in the photo of Joe Reagan on Blue Bloods
ETHAN RYAN – Connor’s son, 24, detective, reddish brown hair, blue green eyes, picture Will Hochman
DECLAN RYAN – Detective, Cormac’s third son, mid-40s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, picture Donnie Wahlberg
LAURA ACKERMAN – Declan’s wife, paediatric doctor, 55, short blonde hair, picture Amy Carlson
SEAN RYAN – Declan and Laura’s son, 17, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, picture Andrew Terraciano
KEIRAN RYAN – attorney, Cormac’s fourth son, late 30s, picture Will Estes
SANDY MCRAE – attorney, Keiran’s girlfriend/wife, 30s, blonde
MARIA – Declan’s cop partner, dark wavy shoulder length hair, curvy but slim – picture Marisa Ramirez
OFFICER VELENSKY – blonde, nondescript
OFFICER VASQUEZ – young Latino, 5’10, short black hair
OFFICER ROTRAIN – multi-racial, 20s
NICK MANANOS – New York mayor, dark slicked back hair, hazel eyes, tanned skin, shiny white teeth
HONEY SYRUP – street hooker, big everything
RICHARD WALKER – host of the book list, nondescript
RHETT ROCKEFELLER – tv show host, movie star good looks, dark blond wavy hair, crystal blue eyes, 50s
AMBER WELLCHILD – Rockefeller audience member, mid-20s, curly brunette, glasses,
PRESTON GRANT – hottest radio guy, 50s, bald, nondescript
HANK LOWRY – Preston’s producer, 50 something, skinny brunet
RAINBOW SKY – SXT radio station intern, 21-ish
RAQUEL – radio caller, nondescript
BARRY – radio caller, 65, nondescript
REBECCA – radio caller, nondescript
MICHAEL – radio caller, nondescript
BRYAN – radio caller, nondescript
NORA RAMOTTI – Sydney’s house sitter, 20s, slim, long red hair
LENNIE CUZCO – Nora’s boyfriend, nondescript
SARAH CONCLIEF – bookstore manager, nondescript
MELISSA BURNELL – bookstore manager, nondescript
BRYAN JAMISON – author, long brown hair in ponytail, brown eyes, 40s, beard, glasses, professor clothing
MARIAH RICHMOND – romance author, nondescript
RICHARD (DICK) – middle-aged author, nondescript
CARLIE HANSEN – romance author with KL Publishing, non-descript
MELANIE SOTHERBY – MG author at Viceroy, nondescript
ERICA MONTARE – Pulsate author, nondescript
MARTIN ADAIR – antiquities and ephemera expert, nondescript
CHARLES GATES – antiquities and ephemera expert, nondescript
GRAHAM KNIGHT – antiquities and ephemera expert, nondescript
CORMAC’S LIEUTENANT – nondescript
ROCKEFELLER STAGE CREW – nondescript
ROCKEFELLER AUDIENCE MEMBERS – nondescript
PERSON WHO THROWS PAINT – nondescript
STALKERS – nondescript
TAXI DRIVERS – nondescript
BOOKSTORE READERS – nondescript
SEAN RYAN – Author, Declan and Laura’s son, 20s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes
MAXWELL PIERCE – Sean’s lawyer, nondescript
ASTRO – Sean’s assistant, 20s, nondescript
DEXTER REGAS – Sean’s manager, nondescript
WALTER LEVINWORTH – Sean’s psychiatrist, nondescript
VINCENT VICEROY – Sean’s publisher, vampiric Austin Powers type
ROGER BARKER – Sean’s agent, nondescript
CORMAC RYAN – NYPD PC, Tom Selleck in his younger years, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes
EMERSON LAKE – producer, director, writer, Sydney’s best friend, long black curls, big busty curvy figure, Cormac’s fiancée
ALEC RYAN – attorney, Cormac’s eldest son, 40s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, younger Alec Baldwin
DIANE – Alec’s new girlfriend, auburn hair, slim, gym junkie, lawyer with own firm
SONJA MOLKOV RYAN – Alec’s ex-wife, interior designer, blonde
BRANDON RYAN – their son, pompous, arrogant, 20s brunet
SIERRA RYAN – their daughter, pompous, arrogant, 20s, brunette
CONNOR RYAN – Detective, Cormac’s second son, 40s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, the actor in the photo of Joe Reagan on Blue Bloods
ETHAN RYAN – Connor’s son, 20s, detective, reddish brown hair, blue green eyes, picture Will Hochman
DECLAN RYAN – Detective, Cormac’s third son, 40s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, picture Donnie Wahlberg
KEIRAN RYAN – attorney, Cormac’s fourth son, late 30s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, picture Will Estes
SANDY MCRAE – attorney, Keiran’s girlfriend/wife, 30s, blonde
OFFICER BIEDERMEIER – female, red hair, nondescript
OFFICER VASQUEZ – male, nondescript
BOOKING CLERK – male, nondescript
LIEUTENANT LOUTIN – Declan’s lieutenant, 6’5, nondescript
SEAN’S DOORMAN – nondescript
MARIEL STRASINSKY – Sydney’s lawyer
SYDNEY KINGSTON – Aussie best-selling author, brunette, average height
AMY ALDRIDGE – Sydney’s assistant, nondescript
CC CHARLESTON – owner of Pulsate Publishing, 70s, slim, 5’10, loves Chanel, soft grey curls
OLIVIA SUTTON – Sydney’s agent, nondescript
GEMMA MADISON – Sydney’s editor, nondescript
LONDON – Pulsate receptionist, 20s, blonde
VICTOR BROTHERS – Pulsate YA editor, nondescript
MICHAEL CAMBRIDGE – Pulsate adult editor, nondescript
ERIC VEMBER – Pulsate attorney, nondescript
HONEY SYRUP – street hooker, big everything
RICHARD WALKER – host of the book list, nondescript
MELODY CALDECOTT – The Book Review host, nondescript
BRIAN EMERY – host of Let’s Talk Books on cable, nondescript
MARCIA – host of Biblio File, nondescript
RHETT ROCKEFELLER – TV show host, movie star good looks, dark blond wavy hair, crystal blue eyes, 50s
PRESTON GRANT – hottest radio guy, 50s, non-descript
HANK LOWRY – Preston’s producer, 50 something, brunet
CHIP – Sean’s contractor, nondescript
NATHANIEL BROWN – Sean’s real estate agent, nondescript
PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR – hired by Sean, nondescript
KELLY O’CONNELL – Ethan’s mother, nondescript
KELLY’S LAYWER – nondescript
RICO – friend of Declan’s, nondescript
WILLIAM CORDON – independent auditor, nondescript, pictured Paul McCrane
HUNTER DEXTER – Sean’s schoolmate, nondescript
BARRY DUFFIELD – Sean’s schoolmate, nondescript
MS ROYLAN – Sean’s librarian, nondescript
ROCKEFELLER STAGE CREW – nondescript
ROCKEFELLER AUDIENCE MEMBERS: George and Melody – nondescript
JAIL WARDEN – nondescript
JOSEPHINE POMPADOUR/MADAM X – Russian American, 72, slim, long grey hair
ROCCO – Josephine’s driver, nondescript
HILDA – Josephine’s housekeeper, 70s, nondescript
FANNY – Josephine’s maid, nondescript
MYRTLE – Josephine’s maid, nondescript
CHARISSE – Josephine’s girl, nondescript
TALLULAH – Josephine’s girl, nondescript
HARMONY – Josephine’s girl, 20s, blonde, voluptuous breasts
PORTIA – Josephine’s girl, Italian, dark curls everywhere
SHILOH – Josephine’s girl, slim, tall, blonde, Icelandic
ALLEGRA – Josephine’s girl, nondescript
KAYLIN – Josephine’s girl, 20s, blonde
HEAVEN – Josephine’s girl, red haired New Yorker with freckles
GISELLE – Josephine’s girl, brunette German, bawdy with size 20 Double D boobs
DR RUSSEL CULLEN – Josephine’s doctor, nondescript
DR MICHAEL CULLEN – Russel’s brother, coroner, nondescript
CARLYLE HOUSTON – Josephine’s lawyer, nondescript
BERNARD DEITRICH – Politician, 52, Slovakian born
BENEDICT MANNING – attorney, nondescript
PRENTISS ADAIR – lieutenant in the NYPD, nondescript
EVERETT LLOYD – NY District Attorney, nondescript
VERA LLOYD – Everett’s wife, nondescript
BARTHOLOMEW “Bartie” WINTHROP – judge, 70s, nondescript
MARY WINTHROP – Bartie’s wife, 70, nondescript
CYRUS STRATTON – Republican Politician, 71,
VERONIQUE – Cyrus’s 3rd wife, French, 40s, long black curly hair
KAREN – Cyrus’s eldest daughter, 40s, blonde
HEATHER – Cyrus’s youngest daughter, 40s, blonde
HOWARD HERCSHEL – bigwig movie director, nondescript
HARLAN CONWAY – men’s magazine owner, think Hugh Hefner
EUGENE HASKELL – judge, nondescript
DONALD REINHOLD – director of Jewish movies, nondescript
DIRK ELLISON – Danish ambassador, nondescript
ALLEN GERARD – New York mayor, 50s, nondescript
CECILY GERARD – Allen’s wife, 60s, blonde, Marilyn Monroe style
PARKER GRANT – actor, 25, drug issues, penchant for ass spanking
ROMANO VIERA – stage name Romeo, up-and-coming singer, 20s, dark hair
ISADORA CRAWFORD – judge, nondescript
GEORGIA PEREZ – attorney, nondescript
CORMAC RYAN – NYPD PC, Tom Selleck in his younger years, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes
DOUGLAS RYAN – Cormac’s father, former NYPD PC
ALEC RYAN – attorney, Cormac’s eldest son, 30s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, younger Alec Baldwin
SONJA MOLKOV RYAN – Alec’s ex-wife, interior designer, blonde
CONNOR RYAN – Detective, Cormac’s second son, 30s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, the actor in the photo of Joe Reagan on Blue Bloods
DECLAN RYAN – Detective, Cormac’s third son, 30s, brown wavy hair, sapphire blue eyes, picture Donnie Wahlberg
CHESTERTON CHARLESTON – Carlyle’s lawyer, Charleston & Associates
CC CHARLESTON – owner of Pulsate Publishing, 60s, slim, 5’10, loves Chanel, soft grey curls
MALLORY HUXLEY – Carlyle’s associate and head of entertainment at the firm, nondescript
OFFICER BARNEY – NYPD officer, nondescript
OFFICER HEATHCOTE – NYPD officer, nondescript
CARMELLO FORTUNATO – Italian mob boss, dark curls, mid-20s, Italian
BENITO – Carmello’s gang member, nondescript
BENICIO JACOPO – Carmello’s gang member, nondescript
ENZIO VITTORIO – Carmello’s gang member, nondescript
FABIO DONATO – Carmello’s gang member, nondescript
PASQUALE CLAUDIO – Carmello’s gang member, nondescript
VINCENZO – potential gang member, nondescript
DINO – potential gang member, nondescript
NICO – potential gang member, nondescript
SALVATOR – potential gang member, nondescript
ANGELO – potential gang member, 18, dark curls, cherubic face, dark lashes, blue eyes
ANGELO – (not the same one as above) jail guard, nondescript
GUARD – jail guard, nondescript
DOCTOR – jail doctor, nondescript
COPS – nondescript
WAITERS – nondescript
STREET HOOKER – nondescript
RESTAURANT MANAGER – nondescript
SECURITY GAURDS – nondescript
MAÎTRE D’ – nondescript
CARLYLE’S ASSISTANT – nondescript
KATIE MILLGROVE – buys Madam X’s house, nondescript
MALCOLM MILLGROVE – husband of Katie, nondescript
WARWICK BUCKNER – the Millgrove’s attorney, nondescript
SYDNEY KINGSTON – Aussie best-selling author, brunette, average height
AMY ALDRIDGE – Sydney’s assistant, nondescript
EMERSON LAKE – producer, director, writer, Sydney’s best friend, long black curls, big busty curvy figure
