When I decided to write Tales of Solapin, Jade’s story was at the very top of my list. I was so excited to finally dive into it — and even more excited to use it to help set up the larger series plot.

The original spark for Jade’s story came from a short story idea I’d had when I was much younger called Ali and Alexander. It followed a young couple in love: the man goes sailing, is kidnapped by pirates, and everyone believes he’s been killed. The woman is then betrothed to a prince against her wishes, so she runs away.

They eventually reunite — but he’s changed and using a different name, so she doesn’t recognize him. He thinks she’s forgotten him and decides to return her to the prince. On the wedding day, he finally learns she believes he’s dead, crashes the ceremony, and they end up together.
(And yes… now that I say it out loud, that was totally inspired by The Princess Bride. Great movie!)

Child of Scars keeps a few elements from that original idea — but it’s also completely different. 😄

Tales of Solapin is a sequel series to Shadow Series, which itself follows Dream Duology. Jade appears in books four and eight of the Shadow Series, and her former love, Weaver, is briefly mentioned in book four. She’s told he left the palace after she was scarred — and that rejection plays a huge role in why she struggles to believe she’s still beautiful and worthy of love beyond being a princess.

Jade and Kali renew their friendship in book four, and Kali eventually marries Jade’s brother, Narin. This book picks up after the epilogue of Child of Devotion, when Jade meets Frederick. On the sail home from Yettleton, he travels with her family, and Jade has to decide whether there’s real passion between them. He’s always stiff and formal around her — but she wants more than politeness if she’s going to accept his marriage proposal.

When the Shieldmaidens attack, they kidnap Kali — and Jade willingly goes with them to protect her friend. Shayla and her newborn daughter remain hidden during the chaos and aren’t taken. I really wanted Jade to have a powerful moment where she chooses bravery, loyalty, and friendship over safety.

Creating the Shieldmaidens was so much fun. Most of them are villains, but each one has a tragic backstory — none of them chose that life freely. Some were forced through loss, others through obligation (especially those born into the Payne family).

They’re loosely inspired by the Amazons, and I had them keep five men as imprisoned paramours — an idea inspired by the hilariously over-the-top movie The Loves of Hercules (which I watched on Mystery Science Theater).

I always knew Weaver hadn’t willingly left Jade, and I always knew they would end up together — I just didn’t know how until I outlined the book. Having Vernon and Xavier involved in the betrayal made perfect sense given their roles in Child of Deception, and I loved creating Ida, Xavier’s sister, as one of the main villains.

I also planted a few Shieldmaiden threads earlier in Child of Romance to help set things up.

Writing the relationships between the paramours was emotional and fun, and the book centers more on the tragedy of the children being stolen and sold — setting up the larger series arc that will focus on finding them and bringing them home.