It started with two characters I couldn’t let go of. 

Seth and Sophia weren’t just side notes in their children’s lives. They were the heartbeat of the Rollins family—the couple whose love story became the foundation of everything that followed. And when I finally sat down to write their book, I realized this wasn’t just going to be a prequel… it was going to be the story that set the tone for the entire series. 

Looking Back 

Ten years ago, I thought I was ready. I wrote their children’s stories first—Luke, Katie, and Trevor—and even released them. But I made the rookie mistake of publishing before my books were truly ready. 

So I pulled them down, convinced my dream was over. 

But God wasn’t finished. When He nudged me to write again, I picked up A Ranger for an Angel—only to discover Seth and Sophia’s love story needed to be told first. They were more than background parents. They were the cornerstone. 

Seth: Steadfast as Stone 

Seth’s name never changed. From day one, he was Seth—a name that felt strong, steady, dependable. And he lived up to it. He’s the kind of man who protects without smothering, loves without condition, and stands firm when the world shakes. 

He’s a man’s man—tough as they come, yet deeply devoted. Writing him made me rethink every hero who would come after. Because while he’s flawed, his love is unwavering… and that, to me, is the truest strength. 

Sophia: Born from Courage 

Sophia didn’t start as Sophia. In early drafts, she was Ruby—until I stumbled across a wanted poster during my Civil War research that stopped me cold. 

Dated October 11, 1858, it described a 24-year-old enslaved woman named Sophia Gordon—small in size, copper-skinned, “tolerably good-looking,” with a timid manner of speech. A man offered $100 for her return. That was what he thought her life was worth. 

I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She wasn’t just a name—she was a woman with hopes, dreams, and fears. I pray she was never caught and found the freedom everyone deserves. 

I knew then I wanted to honor her. Not to tell her exact story, but to capture the courage she must have had. And so, Ruby became Sophia, and her name became a living tribute. 

Writing History Honestly 

This book forced me to dig deeper than I ever had before. Writing in the Civil War era meant confronting truths that weren’t easy to swallow. Not everyone gets a happy ending. So many didn’t. 

But even in the darkest chapters of history, there’s resilience, redemption, and hope. And that’s what I wanted my readers to feel—not a sugar-coated version of the past, but the real thing, anchored in faith. 

A Story That Shaped Everything 

I laughed. I cried. I researched until my eyes blurred. But when I typed the final words, I knew Seth and Sophia had changed me as much as I’d changed them. 

Their love isn’t perfect—it’s tested, refined, and rooted in something unshakable. And maybe that’s why it matters so much. Because legacies aren’t built overnight. They’re built choice by choice, sacrifice by sacrifice… and always, always with love at the center. 

Which type of series starter do you love most — one that begins with the next generation, or one that lays the emotional foundation with the family’s very first love story?