Before I was an author, I was (and still am) a Rescue Specialist with the Canadian Coast Guard. It’s a job that’s unpredictable, physically demanding, and deeply rewarding. Every call is different—sometimes it’s routine, sometimes it’s life-or-death. You learn quickly that hesitation can cost precious seconds.
That same intensity finds its way into my writing. Mackenzie Green may not be saving stranded boaters, but she understands urgency, risk, and the cost of failure. Many of her quick decisions, her trust in her team, and her willingness to step into dangerous situations come directly from my own real-life experiences.
Rescue work also taught me the value of calm under pressure. Even in the middle of chaos, there’s a voice in the back of your mind saying, Focus. One step at a time. Mackenzie lives by that too—whether she’s negotiating with a dragon shifter or walking into the heart of a vampire city.
The sea might not appear in every chapter I write, but it’s in my characters’ bones—steady, unpredictable, and endlessly vast.
