When I was going through treatment, all I wanted was to read about a breast cancer survivor who came out the other side — and was also a total badass. I couldn’t find her. So I created her.
Maddie is a character I had thought about for years, but making her a breast cancer survivor completed her. I wanted her to face some of what I faced — the fear, the loss of identity, the moment you no longer recognise your own body. But I also wanted her to rise. Fiercely.
And for every warrior woman, you need a strong alpha male. I have always loved a SEAL. Jack and Maddie’s story is one of second chances, redemption, and healing — and I hope it’s exactly the story someone out there needs to read right now.