My first thought on finishing this story is of the iconic photograph, The Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville, where two lovers are frozen in time during a kiss while the rest of the world remains in motion around them. What piece/s of art inspired this story?

The story came first and then I happened to think of Auguste Rodin’s “The Kiss.”

I’m curious if you began with the end in mind? What occurred to you first, the start or the end of this story? Please share how the story evolved . . . pantsing or no? What was the initial glimmer you sought to capture?

For much of the composition I thought that the narrator would eventually be moved to a violent act of revenge against Ariella’s new guy; some scene where he would use his superior size and strength to pummel the bastard into the ground. As frequently happens, I discovered what the story was really about only upon getting there. One thing it occurs to me that I narrowly escaped was the “fridging” motivation. But it was not out of desire to avoid that ending that I came up with this one. Simply: the story revealed itself.

I was struck by the depth of complexity in the feelings Ariella has for Holt. To what would you attribute the wisdom and inspiration that went into her character’s development?

It was always my belief that she loved him and wished she could have him back, although the man she misses is long-gone and for all intents and purposes dead. What I think she does in the course of the story is mourn him anew. Again, as a pantser, I discover such things with the story in progress.

I peeked at your Twitter page and see you have an appreciation for movie stills. Did your interest in capturing still lifes/freeze frames inform this story, or vice versa?

You are referring to the “Movie Still of the Day,” which I do every day on my Patreon, and it’s safer to say that I have a deep appreciation for movies, not movie stills. With few exceptions I do not remember the still so much as the story beat, and I do not think this had much input into this story in particular.