Thank you for reading Embers. While it tackled a much darker and real topic than most romances, in the case of firefighters, it was a seminal event for most current firefighters. It would be difficult to imagine Noah Baker and Jacen Williams in Smolder not having experienced something profound.
Great care has been taken to deal with this sensitive subject matter through meticulous research. For a short novel, I did greater than 80 hours of research and spent most of the time crying. I cannot praise the 911Memorial.org website enough. Thanks is also in order to fellow author Kaye Kennedy for her invaluable insight and advice.
I attempted to maintain as much accuracy as possible without using the names of actual victims or families. I based the locations and descriptions on pictures, videos, and testimonies I discovered during my research with a small amount of artistic license. Most of the characters were a combination of many volunteers stories and symbolized the thousands lost their lives or volunteered their time at the Pile. Almost everything any character did, including using a firetruck to get through the checkpoints at the Holland Tunnel to navigating the debris in the subway system by commuter map, occurred at some point.
Of note, Abby is the conglomerate of the support staff among the relief workers including psychologists, grief counselors, massage therapists, and chaplains. While there was no Pink Lady, many volunteers with signature flair became well known and loved on site. Hank portrayed the construction workers in NYC and the Tri-State area who walked off their jobs and offered their expertise. Nate was among the innumerable FDNY members who refused to leave enduring with the hope they would find someone. The unnamed battalion chief stood in for the commanders who soldiered on, despite having lost almost twenty percent of their leadership.
I took the largest artistic license over mask wearing. A large percentage of volunteers at Ground Zero have long-term health problems from the debris in the air. Multiple groups, including government, city, and rescuers, vastly underestimated the danger presented by the debris, which were eventually analyzed to contain significant aerosolized fiberglass and asbestos. Because my characters are alive and well in future books, it was necessary to give them masks.
Last, and most importantly, we must remember the 2977 victims of the attacks, which include 343 firefighters, 50 police officers, 8 EMT/paramedics, and 1 patrolman from the Fire Patrol. The superhero references sprinkled throughout the book are not coincidences.
For people who want to learn more, consider visiting and donating to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
-Carina Alyce