Easter Eggs aren't always what they seem

I love chocolate, so I can never say no to an Easter egg.

But, for authors and readers, Easter eggs can mean something completely different. Easter eggs in books refer to those hidden references, messages, jokes or clues that some authors love to put into their books. They aren't necessary to understand the plot, but they add an extra layer of meaning, or fun, to readers who spot them.

Here's one of my own favourite Easter eggs from my book, INTO THE RED.

He was still of an age when he viewed life in black and white, when he lacked awareness of the many nuances of grey that shaded real-life situations. There were considerably more than fifty of them.

Did you spot that one? No prizes for guessing that it's a reference to the book and film, Fifty Shades of Grey.

Sometimes Easter eggs can be character names. In ROCK BOTTOM, I deliberately named Dorothy's grandson Charlie, as he delivers drugs for the Wolfpack gang. Charlie is also a nickname for cocaine. Who spotted that one?

Here's another film reference in FINAL RETRIBUTION.

“I know,” Baker snapped. “We only need to blow the bloody doors off.”

If you've ever watched The Italian Job (the original one starring Michael Caine which, in my opinion, is vastly superior to the more recent remake), you'll totally get this, even though I deliberately made a slight change to the wording of this very famous line in the film.

What other Easter eggs have you noticed in my books? There are quite a few. I'd love to hear from you if you've got a favourite.