Elspeth from One Dark Window

 

From Inspiration to Creation: How Elspeth Sparked My Creative Fire

Introduction

Some stories don’t just linger — they haunt. When I first picked up One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig, I wasn’t prepared for how deeply Elspeth would crawl under my skin in the most deliciously dark way. Her voice, her world, and that gothic atmosphere wrapped around me until I just had to pick up my apple pencil.

The Artwork

There was something about Elspeth’s eerie strength and vulnerability that demanded to be captured on paper. The lines came quickly, almost feverishly, as though she had been waiting for me to find her. I barely stopped until she appeared staring back at me from the page — sharp, secretive, and hauntingly alive.

What Inspired It

Rachel Gillig’s storytelling inspires me endlessly — the way she writes characters so layered and morally tangled that you can’t help but feel them. Elspeth isn’t just a heroine; she’s a shadow with a heartbeat. Her journey through darkness, power, and consequence reminded me why I love exploring similar themes in my own writing. I finished the book pulsing with creative energy and desperate to create something of my own that could make someone else feel like this.

Looking Ahead to Rhordan & Amara

As I dive deeper into writing my upcoming novel starring Rhordan and Amara, I’m chasing that same raw intensity Elspeth awoke in me. I want my characters to feel real enough to sketch, dream about, and maybe even haunt a reader or two. If Elspeth was the spark, then Rhordan and Amara are the flame I’m fanning.

Stay tuned — I’ll be sharing more artwork, snippets, and behind-the-scenes chaos as this book continues to take shape. And if you loved Elspeth the way I did… I think you’re going to fall hard for what’s coming next.