Selena Robins, Author

People often ask how I choose titles for my novels. Sometimes they come straight from the story, as they did with What A Girl Wants and Once Upon A Kiss.

Decoy in Stilettos took a different path.

My heroine, Ryan, faces danger, villains, her mother, and a romantic complication in heels without wobbling or needing a stretcher.

But the title itself? That came courtesy of real life.

Here’s the story behind Decoy in Stilettos.

Here’s the True Story Behind The Title:

Once upon a time, when my knees were young. . .

There was a time (a glorious time) when I could wear stilettos (and not the practical kind, but the kind that made you think you were rocking a runway) without needing an ice pack or a two-week recovery plan. A time when my ankles cooperated, and my balance was something to brag about.

I wore them at work, shopping, girls’ night out, basically everywhere.

Then came the cottage incident.

When my husband and I were dating (many, many years ago), he bought a cottage and couldn’t wait to show it to me. So he planned a romantic weekend to said cottage.

He told me to pack light.

I packed a medium-sized suitcase (well, that was light for me), which contained:

• Two pairs of stilettos
• A few outfits (because options matter)
• Hot rollers (a romantic weekend means one must have fabulous hair)

For the drive, I dressed in a summer dress and stilettos, naturally.

When he picked me up, he told me I looked beautiful, but he also had a look, the kind that silently said, This is going to be interesting.

“You’ve never been to a cottage, have you?” he asked.

I had not.

To me, “cottage” meant quaint lakeside charm, wine on the dock, maybe a cozy dinner. Why wouldn’t someone dress up?

He loaded my suitcase without comment (he later confessed that he had to use Olympic-level restraint not to laugh).

On the way, he made a quick stop at Zellers. Said he needed a few supplies. He returned with a bag and a grin.

Inside? Sneakers and socks. He knew my size. I was impressed.

As I quickly discovered, stilettos do not belong on docks, dirt trails, or anywhere populated by creatures who do not appreciate fashion.

He lovingly teased me about those shoes for years.

A Christmas Surprise

Fast-forward a few years into our marriage. One Christmas, he handed me a small box, looking far too pleased with himself.

Inside was a red stiletto ornament for our tree.

“Now,” he said, “you have to finish that book you were thinking about, and make sure stiletto is in the title.”

He wasn’t wrong. And as it turns out, husbands give excellent creative direction.

I hang this ornament on my tree, and it still takes me back to the fun, laughter and great times we shared.

This year, especially, it took me back because of the release of Decoy in Stilettos (the book was many years in the making, sitting in my computer for a long time).

I know he’d be thrilled that I finally finished it. It’s a reminder of the man who understood me, teased me, loved me, and always encouraged me to write.

The ornament that captures everything: love, memories, and a husband who encouraged my stories.

And Then, Years Later, Came the Second Ornament

This second ornament came from my beautiful niece.

It reads:

I have an angel in heaven, I call him husband.

Both ornaments sit beside each other. One makes me laugh. One makes me teary.

Both remind me why stilettos had to make their way into my book.

So when my fictional heroine straps on her favourite heels, she’s not just walking into danger with style, she’s walking with a little piece of my heart.

And that’s the real story behind the title.

The book that grew out of those stilettos.