The truth behind the dark warriors in my latest release, the romantic fantasy, The Songs of Fate…

The story began with a dream of two men—one from another world and one from my world. For many nights a gray-eyed man haunted my dreams. A man of cold eyes, but warm touch. A warrior so lost it physically hurt me to see him fight. I woke-up one night crying after my first dream of what would become the character, Ales.

At the time, years ago, this warrior didn’t have a name, but he had scars. I could envision the marks on his hands and the memories of his home world that branded his mind. This man continued to tug at my heart, and soon I had to explain this warrior on paper.

The character Ales is a hardened warrior who finds hope in a soul he has never met. All this dark warrior knows is duty and honor, a life of war and struggle. Until he dreams of a woman who needs him, his touch, his protection, and his heart.

I decided to write The Songs of Fate from the woman’s perspective as she struggles to understand the images and dreams of this gray-eyed man, instead of from Ales’ perspective. I felt that Charlie was more of a relatable character for the audience to journey into the heart of a war with. But, as you near the end of the novel, Charlie gets glimpses into his mind, Ales’ mind, and his world.

Ales is from a world of darkness and cold, where he fights in the ice pits to earn enough food to live. In his world there isn’t love or compassion, but a will, a drive, to survive. I wanted Ales to come from a barren land that was so different from Earth. He needed to be an alien to love. I enjoyed making the simplicity of a kiss such a foreign concept for him because I wanted the reader to understand how cruel his mortal life and immortal life had been.

I believe the contrast between Logan (a warrior from Earth with a close family) and Ales (a man who choose to fight alone for centuries) is what helps create the disparity and internal struggle for Charlie, and hopefully the reader, too. In ways, I struggled as a writer with the ‘right’ decision for Charlie. I cared so much for both warriors by the end of the novel. I wrote FOUR different endings!

In the novel, I choose to explore the different types of warriors that exist in The War of Fate, purposely showing the divergence between Logan, Cri, Ales, and Leo. Four men of different backgrounds, most of different worlds, and yet all fighting for the same side. I wanted not only their beliefs in the enemy, but their thoughts about relationships, life, and their sense of duty to be mixed and mottled. All of this was done very purposely to extenuate how war brings together people who must fight for the side, but do not believe in the same thing.

I think this happens in real life all of the time. It doesn’t have to be something as brutal and devastating as war that brings people together. Perhaps a long line at the grocery store, a car wreck, a group project, a blind date, whatever it is, people have to come together to create something brilliant, get the job done, or just get through the damn day! My question to you, my dear reader, is how can we see other people’s perspectives, disagree with them, and still create an alliance?

I truly believe it’s understanding that at the core of all people, we are the same. We all want to get our groceries and go home to our family, our dog, or our romance novel. If we can see through our frustration, we might be able to open ourselves up and learn about our fellow humans.

In The Songs of Fate even Ales and Logan, two men, two warriors, who want to dislike each other can’t help but find something very special they have in common… a woman they both love. I wonder if in some ways it is the things we love, the people we love, that will bring us all together. I’d love to hear from you. What has brought you close to a stranger under the oddest of circumstances? What has made you take the leap and choose to see something differently?

Until next time…