When Doreen Quinn Giuliano’s son, John Giuca, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for Brooklyn’s 2003 “grid kid” slaying, she was absolutely sure he’d been wrongly convicted. To prove it she went under cover as “Dee” befriending one of the jurors, Jason Allo. Allo bragged publicly about serving as a juror on the high-profile case, while confiding to “Dee” he never should have been on the jury.

The story, Mother Justice by Christopher Ketcham in the January 2009 Vanity Fair  details Giuliano seeking out Allo as Dee then documenting on tape his admission, one she recorded more than once. It was a desperate move, but one that may have succeeded. The tale deftly illustrates how far someone will go to protect, and in this case prove the innocence of, loved ones a central theme to Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace. Anyone can be pushed to undertake acts they most likely would never consider, even more so when family is involved. Mother Justice, indeed.

In a recent review of Shades of Darkness, Shade of Grace, a reviewer noted she never figured out what the title referred to. It actually references two things, which most anyone can relate to.

First, it makes reference to the internal struggles we all face, recognizing there are shades of darkness (sin) and shades of grace (goodness) within each of us. In other words, we experience degrees of grace as well as degrees of sin. What we do with that sin and grace is up to us. As Kay notes towards the end of the book, “Goodness and evil each present us with choices, and they are never as simple as they might appear”. In those choices we make through our own free will, some will contain the darkness of moral ambiguity and sin, while others move us closer to the beauty and goodness of grace.

Second, the Shades of Grace in the title is a reference to the saving grace of sobriety that both Kay and Paul experience and any addict can relate to. It is after all, sobriety that saves us from destroying ourselves and those closest to us. Again, there is the idea of the degrees of goodness the clean and sober existence in reclaiming our lives and making amends with those we have harmed.

In a nutshell, that’s what Shades of Grace, Shades of Darkness means, at least to me. There is no right or wrong answer, and because meanings are subjective, I invite readers of the novel who have different interpretation to e-mail me with their thoughts at: catherinejohns58@yahoo.com.

I have created a new Squidoo Lens for Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace. The page offers some components not found on the web site. These include:

New book reviews
Author interviews
Discussion questions for book groups or classes reading the book
A Duel - Take sides on a question dealing with justice and morality

I’ll update the page with new interviews, reviews, duel options, and other features. I’m also open to features/discussion questions readers of the book would like to see included. Check out the Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace Squidoo Lens.

The two major themes that encompass Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace are that evil exists among the ordinary and that anyone, regardless of how morally grounded they might be, can be pushed to commit acts they would otherwise never consider. This is especially true when either situation involves a threat to our loved ones.

Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry has expertly explored both of these themes, and did so again with the season four finale. The evil among us comes in the form of Kayla, Tom Scavo’s daughter from a previous relationship. What struck me about Kayla is not just that she’s manipulative and calculating, but that children like her turn into the Pamela Schaeffer’s of the world when they grow up. To protect his marriage and his family, Tom sends Kayla packing.

Katherine Mayfair is pushed to commit murder, like Tom, in the name of self-preservation and protecting loved ones. As with the Pierson family, Katherine is confronted with true evil in the form of her vicious ex-husband, Wayne Davis. Realizing Wayne will never stop hounding her and her daughter (in much the same way Pamela relentlessly badgers the Pierson’s), Katherine puts an end to his abuse with a bullet.

All of this makes for great melodrama, but it’s also why these themes are so universal. We all experience evil at some time in our lives, though perhaps not as obvious as a Kayla or Wayne. And when loved ones are endangered, some of us will be pushed beyond our limits.

The title comes from a Desperate Housewives episode, a program that has exemplified to great effect the idea that evil doesn’t just come in the form of dictators, suicide bombers, corrupt governments, or disasters, but rather, that evil subsists among the ordinary and the mundane. It’s an every day occurrence and it walks among us, in the suburbs and the cities, as our co-workers, friends, neighbors, and even as our own family members. Those same universal themes are at the crux of my novel, Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace.

An episode titled, “That’s Good, That’s Bad” perfectly captures this theme as nearly everyone on Wisteria Lane is confronted with acts of malice that force decisions, just as the Pierson family debates how to deal with a former family member’s brutal and continuous assault in Shades of Darkness. Ultimately, everyone makes choices of how to approach the evil within their lives, and none are without consequence.   

For the Desperate Housewives, Lynette and Bree make the most difficult choices. When Lynette Scavo catches her boss, Nina, in an amorous embrace with a fellow co-worker, she tries to use the incident as leverage. Embarrassed, Nina asks what it will take to keep Lynette quiet. Lynette responds she wants Nina to be civil to her and her team. However, crafty Nina gets rid of the problem by firing the co-worker, Stu. Incensed, Lynette contacts Stu, letting him know that he can sue the company for sexual harassment. But her plan backfires, as the ad agency’s owner fires Nina and co-workers, fearing the company will go broke fighting the harassment suit Stu has filed. Only Lynette keeps her job, but not without the painful realization that it was her actions, righteous or misdirected, that caused this turn of events.

Bree Van De Camp’s conflict with evil comes in the form of George, the pharmacist she was engaged to. She’s discovered George is behind the injuries her therapist suffered when someone riding a bike threw him off a bridge. Now, the police are closing in on George, as they search his home for evidence in the attack. Realizing he’s backed into a corner, George checks into the hotel where Bree is hosting a fundraiser.

As the distraught George takes an overdose of pills, the police contact Bree with the news they have discovered evidence that George poisoned her late husband, Rex. Drifting in and out of consciousness, George summons Bree to his room. She tells George she can only forgive him if he admits to what he’s done. Defiant, George says that whatever he did, he did because Bree wanted him to. Then he asks her to please call an ambulance before it’s too late. Bree smiles her sweetest smile and tells him she already has. And Bree then makes her choice to sit and wait for George to die.        

One might also ask who is committing the greater evil in these scenarios, as no one walks away scot-free. What’s clear is that evil makes its presence known in ordinary lives, whether it’s on Wisteria Lane, in the Twin Cities, or across the globe. As Kay observes near the end of Shades of Darkness, “. . . goodness and evil each present us with choices, and they are never as simple as they might appear.” Lynette, Bree, and the Pierson’s are all pushed by sheer malevolence to make difficult decisions and take measures they would otherwise never consider.

Those actions do have consequences, some more daunting than others. In real life, probably more often than we would dare think, evil sometimes not only drives a minivan, it takes a seat at the dinner table.

The idea of free will assumes that human beings have the capacity to make the choice between what is good and what is bad; what is right and what is wrong. I would argue, however; there are people who cannot, for whatever reason, do what is considered “good” or “right”. Instead, such individuals taint every life they touch, leaving obliteration in their wake.

People, of course, aren’t one-dimensional; they’re complicated beings with desires and contrasts. But, the most malicious of beings are capable of burying any redeeming qualities through their own destructive choices that generally put them first, and to hell with anyone they might cause injury to.

Two of the characters at the center of Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace are just such people. Inspired by a true story these individuals do indeed exist, the worst of human nature festering within them. In real life the truth is even darker - adept at shattering lives and inflicting harm, they no longer have the capacity to do anything else.

The beginning of a New Year is a time of making resolutions, usually to change a habit or behavior we engage in for the better. We resolve to give up smoking, lose weight, stop drinking, spend more time with our family, be more patient - the list is virtually endless. Onto that list I would add “trust your instincts”, the raw, gut feeling we all experience that signals a person, situation, plan, etc. isn’t quite what it seems and to be wary. In Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace, the Pierson family goes against their instincts that a person within their midst isn’t being honest and hides ulterior motives. There’s hesitancy on most of the family’s part to trust their instincts, believing those gut feelings of apprehension to be flawed.

Trusting your instincts might be a resolution we should all try harder to pay attention to. There’s an old adage - if you’re walking alone down a dark street, and someone is approaching from behind making you feel uncomfortable, trust your gut and cross the street. Get away. Don’t wait around to see what happens. Like keeping any resolution, trusting your instincts isn’t always easy, but the consequences of not doing so, as the Pierson family discovers, can be far worse.

Three five-star reviews on Amazon plus the two on this site are the best start any author could ask for, especially one making their debut. It is truly a thrill to see people positively respond to your work. Each review has honed in on the themes central to Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace - that evil is present among the details of ordinary life, often throwing everyone involved off balance. Most people understand that malevolence exists, but they never truly expect it to happen to them. The uncertainty, anger, and frustration the Pierson family grapples with in trying to confront this malice could happen to anyone.

My goal was to accomplish two things: (1) write a great story, and (2) offer themes of universal importance for readers to consider. So far, I think we’re off to a great beginning.