Behind the Scenes: Desert Fate

Here’s where you can learn about the background and inspiration for Desert Fate, Book 3 in the Twin Moon series…

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CHARACTERS & STORY:

In every one of my books, I look for a different kind of villain – and there are plenty to choose from in the dark & dangerous shapeshifter world. In this case, the villain I chose is another werewolf – a brute of an alpha who’s used to getting his way. Desert Fate is a suspenseful story of that evil man gradually honing in one his prey, an innocent woman who is brought to Twin Moon Ranch by fate.

How did I come up with Kyle and Stef? My work as a teacher has put me in contact with all kinds of characters. Kyle and Stef were inspired by the amazing students I’ve taught whose parents have made a career in the Armed Forces. Some come from incredibly tight-knit families who manage to create their own sense of community and stability in spite of frequent moves and long separations. Others succumb to tremendous stresses and fall victim to problems such as domestic abuse. Stef and Kyle come from two ends of the spectrum I’ve observed, and I just love letting them find their happy end together in a place they can truly call home: the tight-knit community of Twin Moon Ranch.

MY FAVORITE SCENE:

I love the wood chopping scene, when Kyle watches Stef take an ax and work off her own stress beside him. I love that Kyle respects Stef and gives her space while desperately wanting to claim her as his own. There’s a fine line between passion and possession, and it’s one he manages perfectly in the end.

BIGGEST CHANGE FROM THE EARLIEST DRAFT OF THE STORY:

The morning-after scene, when Stef stomps back from out in the desert to Kyle’s house, where he is anxiously waiting on the stairs. Originally, she stomped back and right into the house, unable to face Kyle. I realized that they needed to confront what had happened between them. I love the new scene when he asks, “You didn’t want it?” and she answers, “I wanted it too much,” because that about sums it up: Stef is completely drawn to Kyle yet utterly terrified of the change taking over her body. In the end, she learns to trust Kyle, her instincts, and her wolf, and can embrace her new life whole-heartedly. But to get there in a realistic way, she had to go through those stages of mistrust first.