Behind the Scenes of Sins in Black

When I sat down to write Sins in Black, I thought I had it all figured out—who the story was about, where it was going, who the villains were. I had an outline, some character sketches, and a clear sense of the story’s emotional landscape.

But what I’ve come to learn, not just with this book but throughout my journey as a writer, is that the characters often have very different ideas.

They don’t sit quietly like chess pieces, waiting for the master to move them. They speak. They push back. They demand to be heard. Sometimes, they take the story in a direction I never anticipated. And I’ve had to learn to let them.

To some, this might sound absolutely bonkers. “They’re make-believe,” you might say. “They don’t really exist.” I used to think the same thing. But once you start writing—really writing—you begin to understand. These characters do come alive on the page. They develop their own desires, their own fears, their own truths. And if you try too hard to control them, the story suffers. It becomes rigid, flat, false.

In Sins in Black, this was especially true for the villains. I knew who they were supposed to be. I knew the bad things they would do. But as I wrote them, something shifted. They started revealing their pasts, their motivations, their vulnerabilities. They weren't just "evil for evil’s sake." They were shaped—damaged, even—by choices, regrets, and pain.

Recently, Sins in Black received a 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite, which I’m incredibly grateful for. But what truly stood out to me was the reviewer’s comment: “The villains are not depicted as purely evil; rather, they are individuals trapped by their weaknesses and mistakes.” That sentence meant the world to me—because that was the heart of what I was trying to show.

We often want to hate the villain. It’s easier that way. Call them evil, dismiss them, move on. But I believe it’s far more compelling—and more honest—to ask how they got there. What went wrong? What were they trying to protect? Where did they lose their way?

This doesn’t excuse their actions. Actions still have consequences, and my characters face them. But when we understand someone’s darkness, we’re also forced to look a little closer at our own. And that, to me, is where the most powerful stories lie—not in black and white, but in the murky shades of human complexity.

One unique element of Sins in Black is its structure. Between the chapters, you’ll find raw, unfiltered interviews with the characters. These aren’t your typical narrative moments—these are deeply personal, behind-the-scenes glimpses into who these people truly are.

They say things in those moments they may never say aloud to another character. It's just you, the reader, and them—no barriers. These interludes add an extra layer of intimacy and honesty to the story, giving you access to thoughts and confessions no one else gets to hear.

If you haven’t picked up Sins in Black yet, it’s available now on Amazon. And if you have read it—thank you. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you discovered the book. Your feedback truly helps get the story in front of more readers, and it means more to me than you know.

Thank you for joining me on this journey—and for listening to the voices of these characters right alongside me.