Tension in the Author = Tension for the Reader

The writing of Book Two of the series is bubbling along with the usual twists and turns, but is there enough tension?  This came to me in the middle of the night after I’d written a scene that was niggling at me, like the pea under the princess’s mattress.  When something isn’t working it’s uncomfortable in a vague way and I often don’t know what’s wrong.  Then something pops.  I realised that “The First Lie” works as a page-turner because there’s subliminal tension, even behind scenes that are humorous or quirky.  I’ve now gone further back in Book Two and written a scene that’s completely unexpected — for Selkie and the author — and I think it delivers the first thread of tension which will develop throughout the book in more unexpected ways.  Not telling!