Cadence (Cade) Colter

I always said that if I had a son, I would name him Cadence. To me, it sounds strong, masculine, and I like the way it ‘feels.’ I never did have a son, so when it came to creating the first main character for my first novel, naming him was easy.

As for the development of his personality, that goes all the way back to the late 1990s, when I first decided I wanted to try this writing thing — long before I actually got published. I wanted Cade to be relatable — neither too good-looking, nor too plain. I wanted him vulnerable, but with a hidden inner strength he’d eventually learn to draw on.

By the time I wrote The Crimson Corset in 2015, Cade was in many ways different from how I first envisioned him — but his core has always remained true. He and I don’t actually have much in common (aside from both being Tauruses and sharing a paralyzing fear of heights) but he is very much a kindred spirit to me. I’ve loved watching him come of age, find his power, and grow up throughout the pages of this series. I’m very excited to see what my plans for his future will unearth about him, and how he’ll respond to some of the conflicts I have in mind.

Generally speaking, bit-characters (especially the quirky ones) are the most fun to write but I’d have to say Cade is my all-time favorite. He’s one of those few characters who teaches me things about myself and sheds light on the world around me.