When I started writing Child of Drakens, I was inspired by the story of Esther from the Bible — but instead of the Jewish people, I reimagined the story with drakens.

I also pulled inspiration from The Bachelor and The Selection, and I had so much fun creating a world where drakens and humans exist side by side.

From the beginning, I knew I wanted Ashton to come from a villain family, so I made him one of the Draken Killer Princes. But I also wanted him to struggle with that destiny. The moment he first realizes that drakens have a humanoid form is when everything changes for him — it’s when he decides he doesn’t want to become like his father or older brother.

I loved writing Ashton’s relationships with his siblings, especially Flint, Haskel, and Carina. He’s the only Shadow who tells multiple siblings about Shadow World before his book begins, and I really wanted his family dynamics to feel different from Gianna and Drake or Elaine and Noah.

Writing several love stories that all unfold in a short time frame was definitely a challenge — but I loved how intensely focused each of the brothers was on their chosen bride. Haskel was the only one who struggled with his decision… and even then, it was only between two women.

While Flint and Langdon are both villains, I didn’t want them to feel like the same kind of bad guy. Langdon is a charming rake who uses magic to seduce, while Flint is fiercely loyal to the woman he chooses. I needed a strong reason for Flint to immediately choose Aura, and the power dynamic between their families gave their relationship a solid foundation.

I also loved how naturally Gianna and Drake fit into the story, and how supportive Gianna was of Ashton as he navigated his feelings for Essie. Ashton has always been the “brother” of the Shadows, and I really wanted that closeness to show — both in his bond with Gianna and with his biological siblings.

I hadn’t originally planned for Drake and Carina to fall in love, but as I outlined the story, their romance just clicked into place. I loved the growth it created for Drake, especially as he wrestled with whether to tell Carina the truth about what he did to Lana in the first book.

And the big battle at the end? That was an absolute blast to write — from the draken attack itself to all the reveals and emotional moments that come with it.