Sangay Glass's Blog - Posts Tagged "vengence"

There’s something undeniably captivating about morally grey characters—the ones who live in the shadows between right and wrong, between justice and vengeance.

The ones who don’t ask for redemption because they don’t believe they need it.

In the heart of the Adirondack wilderness, Candice and Randal are not heroes. They are not villains. They are survivors. But survival, in their world, comes with a price.

Candice: The Girl Who Won’t Be Prey

Candice isn’t your typical final girl. She doesn’t run. She doesn’t hide. She doesn’t beg for her life—she manipulates the game until the killers believe they’ve won.

Her detachment isn’t just a coping mechanism; it’s a weapon. She sees the world through a fractured lens—emotion at arm’s length, reality blurred, survival a calculation.

Is she a victim? Yes. Is she a monster? Maybe. But she’s not about to let anyone decide for her.

Does Candice want justice, or does she want revenge? And is there really a difference when nine women are buried in the dirt?

Randal: The Unreliable Ally

Randal isn’t a knight in shining armor—more like a wolf in borrowed sheep’s clothing. He’s a man with blood on his hands, with secrets buried deep, a man who may not even trust himself. And yet, in Candice’s world, he is the closest thing to safety.

He is calculating but protective, loyal but dangerous. He’s not here to save anyone. He’s here because he’s made his choice: Candice or nothing.

But when the line between protector and predator is so razor-thin, can Candice truly trust him?

Why We Love (and Fear) Morally Grey Characters

Morally grey characters challenge us. They make us question our own morality, force us to consider what we’d do in their place.

Candice and Randal exist in a world where survival isn’t about being good—it’s about being smart, ruthless, and willing to do whatever it takes.

They don’t fit into tidy boxes. They don’t care about being likable. But they are unforgettable.

So the question remains: How far would you go to survive? And more importantly—who would you become?

Candice doesn’t live in a world of clear-cut heroes and villains. She’s surrounded by morally gray characters, people whose motivations shift like the wind through the Adirondack pines. Some are killers. Some are liars.
Some might just be the difference between life and death.

But how do you trust someone when you don’t even trust yourself?

Randal is a perfect example. He’s not a villain, but he’s no hero either. He’s done things. Bad things. And

Candice knows it. So why does she need him? Why does she want to believe in him, even when every instinct tells her to run?

Because sometimes, in a world where monsters exist, you don’t need a hero—you need someone just dangerous enough to stand beside you.

Would you trust a morally gray character if your life depended on it?

In thrillers, final confrontations aren’t just about the fight—they’re about the last word. That one line that cuts deeper than any knife, the one that reminds the villain exactly why they lost. It’s the verbal dagger that seals the moment in cinematic, spine-chilling glory.

Some go for cold and calculated:
"You should have buried me deeper."

Some go for ironic:
"Guess I wasn’t the easy target you thought."

Some, like Candice, lean into dark humor
"You should have pushed me three skateboards to the left."

A final girl, an anti-hero, or even a villain—whoever gets the last word wields the real power.

So, let’s hear it. If you were the last one standing in a thriller, what would YOUR victory one-liner be before delivering the final blow? Drop it in the comments!

Ledge Pond

Last week, I lost internet service and had to prep my book launch from my phone. Disaster. I couldn't read the small print. I missed errors. I hit the wrong button and accidentally published too soon—with no way to fix it for days. I almost wanted to cry. Almost.

But my MC, Candice, wouldn't cry. And I am Candice.

So, I reset. Adjusted. Took risks. Gave out proof copies that weren’t ready. Hustled to find and make fixes the second my service came back.

And now, just one week later—everything is in place. Got my service back and did a real read through on my computer. This morning, I finally hit publish with confidence.

I can breathe. Now the real work begins.

To anyone feeling like they’re drowning in setbacks—take a breath, pivot, and push forward. You’ve got this.

Ledge Pond

Thrillers and romance—two genres that don’t often go hand in hand, yet when they do, they create something raw, intense, and unforgettable. Love isn’t always found in candlelit dinners or whispered sweet nothings. Sometimes, it’s forged in survival, in standing side by side when the world closes in, in knowing—no matter what happens—you are not alone.

In my books, love isn’t about grand gestures or easy, uncomplicated devotion. It’s about the kind of loyalty that holds steady when everything else falls apart. The men in my stories aren’t perfect. They’re flawed, sometimes morally gray, sometimes dangerous—but their devotion is absolute. Not because they want to possess or control, but because they see the women they love, scars and all, and stay.

True love isn’t about fixing someone. It’s about walking beside them through the storm, giving them the space to heal without letting them drown. It’s about trust—the real, tested kind that survives fear, violence, and betrayal.

Because even in the darkest stories, love should never be a trap. It should be the light you fight toward.

What are your favorite examples of love in thriller romances? Do you think loyalty can thrive in the most dangerous settings? Let’s talk about it.

If today feels heavy, remember—storms pass, skies clear, and the sun is always waiting.

We are not guaranteed more time. Not more time to fix our mistakes, not more time to say the things left unsaid, and certainly not more time to be who we always meant to be. Life moves forward, with or without us.

Candice, Ledge Pond's FMC, knows this better than most. She’s spent her life on the edge of decisions, waiting for signs, waiting for the right moment, waiting—until there’s nothing left to wait for. But even she knows that time is indifferent. You don’t bargain with it. You don’t get extensions. The best you can do is make peace with your storms before they pass.

Even clouds don’t hold their tears forever. And neither can we.

Maybe that’s the real lesson. Let it out, let it go, and step into whatever time you have left with no regrets.

What would you do if you had no time left to wait?
Ledge Pond

When the world feels too loud, too fast, too much—nature remains constant. It doesn’t ask for anything. It doesn’t judge. It simply is. And that is why it heals.

The benefits of nature on mental health aren’t just poetic musings; they’re deeply rooted in science.

Time in the wild reduces cortisol, lowers blood pressure, and creates a tangible sense of peace. The physical exertion of hiking, running, or even just wandering the woods doesn’t just strengthen the body—it gives anxiety less fuel to burn.

In Ledge Pond, Candice finds clarity on the trails, the rhythm of her steps keeping her thoughts from spiraling. Randal learns to center himself through meditation in the forest, a practice that helps him navigate life’s darker moments. These aren’t just coping mechanisms; they are survival instincts we’ve forgotten in the modern world.

Nature doesn’t erase pain, but it absorbs it, giving us space to breathe. So take a walk. Step outside. Let the wind remind you how small today’s worries really are.

Because sometimes, the best medicine isn’t found in a bottle—it’s in the quiet rustle of the trees, waiting for you to listen.

Ledge Pond, a psychological thriller set in real time with nature. Ledge Pond
Free on KU and in paperback.

And a Goodreads giveaway! my link text

Candice's ponytail holders are sentient.

They get one look at Candice’s life and yeet themselves into the void.

She buys them in bulk.They disappear in singles.

It’s either sorcery or a black hole with great hair.

If you spot one wandering the woods near Ledge Pond, please return it.

It probably left mid-scene.

Ledge Pond