SUPER SECRET BONUS
10 Things You Didn’t Know About
The Hellgate Universe
1. Meg Wasn’t Always the Main Character
I’ve always loved urban fantasy and wanted to write it, but I didn’t want to just your typical series. I even had someone actually say to me, “The world doesn’t need another urban fantasy series.” And I agreed with him. It doesn’t. Hell, I didn’t need to read another one. But then one day, Meg came stomping into my brain. She told me, “Look, once upon a time I was the Chosen One. I saved the world. And it sucked so hard, I ran away. Now? I’m over 40, and I’ve got to do it all over again.” And KERPOW! the whole story came alive in that moment. I realized this was a story about second chances, about coming home, about being over 40 and still having to fight like hell.
2. The Hellgate Wasn’t Meant to Be the Main Focus
In the earliest drafts, the Hellgate was just a background element, something that had happened rather than something that continued to shape the world. But as I wrote, it became clear that the consequences of sealing it (and the mistakes Meg made along the way) were far more important than I initially realized. Now, the Hellgate is more than a plot device—it’s the ticking time bomb of the entire series.
3. Cole Was Originally a Straight-Up Villain
Cole started out as a full-fledged antagonist, the kind of character who was beyond redemption. I wanted to explore the ex-lover dynamic with someone who took a different path. But as I wrote him, he evolved into something much more interesting—a man torn between loyalty, duty, and regret. Now, instead of being a one-note villain, he’s one of the most complicated characters in the series.
4. The Shadow Lord’s Identity Changed Multiple Times
I knew I wanted a major, looming villain, but I went through at least three different versions of who the Shadow Lord actually was. Each time, I thought I had it right… and then something better clicked. If you’ve been paying attention, you might already suspect what the answer is. The final version? You’ll see.
5. Allison’s Magic Had to Be Nerfed
In early drafts, Allison’s healing magic was too powerful. She could solve way too many problems with her magic, which made it hard to create tension. I had to rework her abilities so that she had real limitations—both personal and supernatural.
6. Ziya Was Almost Killed Off (More Than Once)
Ziya is one of those characters who has repeatedly been on the chopping block. In different drafts, she’s died in multiple ways at different points in the story. But the more I wrote, the more I realized that Meg isn’t just fighting monsters—she’s fighting to rebuild the family she lost. This found family dynamic became just as important as the supernatural threats, which is why I couldn’t let go of Ziya, no matter how many times I considered it. I’ve dodged killing her so far, but if you’ve read Reunion, you know things are… complicated.
7. The Werewolf Politics Got Way More Complicated Than I Expected
I originally planned for the werewolves to have a straightforward hierarchy—alpha, beta, omega, the usual. But the more I explored their culture, the more intricate it became. Now, it’s a full-on political system with rival factions, power struggles, and secrets yet to be revealed.
8. Relic almost didn’t happen.
Originally, I had no plans to write Relic, but I needed a short story where I could introduce the world to readers. I didn’t want to write the Highschool Musical version of Meg’s early years, so I had to come up with something else. I thought about just giving away the first 10 chapters of Reunion instead—because who doesn’t love a good greatest hits collection? After multiple tantrums, I ended up focusing on how Scottish born Diana ended up in Bellingham in the first place.
9. The Original Title Was Completely Different
For a long time, the series wasn’t even called The Hellgate Chronicles. The first working title was "The Slipped Latch." But that didn’t fully capture the urban fantasy apocalypse meets midlife crisis vibe I wanted. The title Reunion came from my dream of having Meg Merch t-shirts for the 2024 Reunion Tour, as if Meg and her crew were the Rolling Stones. And it just clicked. The Hellgate Chronicles followed naturally after.
(I’m working on that t-shirt dream. I’ve even designed it.)
10. Some Characters Are Keeping Secrets From Me
Even as the writer, there are still things I don’t fully know about my own characters. Bianca? She’s hiding something big, and I have a feeling it’s going to change everything. Allison? Her power is evolving in ways even I didn’t expect. And then there’s Elijah—who I originally wrote off as a secondary character for Relic, but is slowly proving he has much bigger plans. Writing this series sometimes feels like uncovering a mystery as I go, and I love every second of it.
👉 I love hearing from you all—so tell me, which of these surprises caught you off guard? Or do you have your own theories about where the story is going?