*Warning! This is at the end of the book for a reason! Read this last, it contains SPOILERS*

I am always curious, as a reader, about the creative process of the books I read. So, in case you were wondering, I thought I'd add a little background for you. Feel free to comment with any questions you have, also.

Why I wanted to write this story...

Honestly I'm not really sure why. Something came over me and I just had to write it. I started, not knowing if I would really finish the whole thing, but the plot kept unfolding and becoming more detailed, so it sort of wrote itself.

The whole thing started with my 14 year old daughter. On drives home in the afternoon we would come up with story ideas. She also loves books and is a really good writer so we would bounce ideas off of each other. We came up with dystopian plots, teen fiction ideas, comedies and then this one. I had the beginning plot and she helped develop it. Then when I started writing it, it went a different direction and so now we have Guarded Hope.

So this was the original idea: sort of a twilight type plot with an angel instead of a vampire. I wanted this love story where they had to overcome obsticles to be together. So why didn't it work out that way? I guess fantasy is just not my genre. I couldn't create a world where the angel could love a human and it make sense.

I changed it to having the angel just watch over her, guide her and help her grow. But then that took a turn too. Ethan was suposed to be this dark character, possibly on drugs or something. Someone that Hope was tempted by but really needed to stay away from. That's when the angel was suposed to show up and work on her self esteem.

So when I wrote the first bonfire scene, Ethan kept saying these really nice, understanding things and I couldn't write him as a bad guy. So the angel, Will, became his best friend that wanted to help both of them. It took a while for me to figure out how Will died but when I did, whoa...powerful.

My Wattpad plans for Guarded Hope?

I didn't really have plans to publish it here. I just wanted to write it. I was reading a few books on the app but was hesitant to post mine. I worried that I would start it and not finish, leaving whoever was reading it (if anyone even bothered) hanging.

When I got halfway done with it, I decided to go ahead and post it. I knew the rest of the plot and I was on a good roll, so I thought there was a good chance I would stick to it. And you are reading this so I have!

Why did it take so long for them to even kiss?

Well, chronologically, this story takes place over a two week period of time, not including flash backs and the epilogue. Do you seriously think she should have let him kiss her sooner? Not only would that go against everything in Hope's character, it would also mean Ethan was more concerned about his desires than her needs. Which also goes against his character.

I just wanted to have a story that still included some level of innocence. It seems to me that now-a-days in movies and books, when two characters finally have a first kiss, it leads right to the bedroom. Is that how things really are now? I mean lets have a little self control shall we... I think it is still a compelling love story without all of the physical aspects.

The story is over...

Well, not exactly. I'm planning on a second story from Ethans point of view called, Waiting for Hope. It will flashback to when he first sees her so we can read his story leading up to "Back in Black" when he comes to dinner at his mom's house. Then it will follow him as he and Hope start getting to know each other.

I might write a yet unnamed sequal which will follow them through college. But who knows... I may be tired of writing by then!

The settings are real...

90% of them, yes. The photos included are of real places that I describe in the story. The only fictious locations are the hole in the wall street taco place(but it could be a real place, who knows) and the hilltop drive/hike. Again, there very well could be a real spot you can drive or hike to, but I've never been there, so I made it up.

Everything else is real and you can visit there. You should, they are great places!

Choices about the point of view...

The first sentence in the first chapter decided for me, and I decided only Hope's POV would be used. So technically, this is written in the third person limited omnicient point of view. Ethan's story will be the same. If I write the sequal I will go back and forth between the two in third person depending on who's POV is most prominent.

Using songs for chapter titles...

I decided on the songs when I got to chapter 3. I wanted more significant titles and went through a few ideas. I had a playlist for another book I was reading, just songs that seemed to represent the different plot points and character motivations. Bloodstream was the first song I pegged for this book. When I went through my song list, I found that there were enough songs to carry the book. As I've been planning Ethan's story, I created the playlist first which has helped me formulate the plot details. I already had the big picture and that was created as I wrote Hope's story. I was simultaniously thinking through both Hope and Ethans motivations so thats why I already know his story. Although even I had a few surprises, you dont know everything about him yet!

Thanks for reading! I really HOPE you liked it 😉 And if you're interested, here is the entire playlist for Guarded Hope.

If you liked it, please tap the star to vote! Thank you!!

I Know Places - Taylor Swift
Ready to Run - One Direction
Fading - Decyfer Down
Walls - Manic Drive
Busted Heart - for King and Country
Bring Me to Life - Evanesence
Bloodstream - Ed Sheeran
Thunderstruck  - AC/DC
Bring Me Down - Pillar
Be Somebody - Thousand Foot Krutch
It's My Life - No Doubt
Back in Black - AC/DC
Music - Manic Drive
Walk on the Water - Brit Nicole
Through the Dark - One Direction
After the World - Disciple
Dear X - Disciple
Human - Manafest
My Hero - Foo Fighters
You'll Never Be Alone - Capital Kings
You Are in Love - Taylor Swift