Before Abby Mason met Victoria Fraser, before The Crimson Sanctuary, before desire transformed her life, there was another story waiting to be told...Why I Wrote Developing DesireAbby's Story Before VictoriaIf you've read May I Call You Mistress?, you'll already know Abby Mason.You know the woman who walks into Victoria Fraser's studio believing she's simply photographing another client.You know the woman who has no idea that one meeting is about to change the course of her entire life.But here's the thing...Abby didn't appear on page one of May I Call You Mistress?She had a life before Victoria.A messy one.A lonely one.A life shaped by heartbreak, self-doubt, routine, and the quiet belief that maybe love simply wasn't meant to feel extraordinary.That story always existed in my head.I just never wrote it.Until now.The Abby You Never MetWhen readers first meet Abby in May I Call You Mistress?, she's already an established photographer.She's talented.Funny.Observant.Yet underneath that confidence sits a woman who has spent years becoming smaller without even noticing.She's fresh from divorce.She's living in a damp basement flat in Edinburgh with only a dehumidifier for company.She photographs other people's happiness every weekend while quietly wondering if she'll ever feel that kind of connection herself again.She isn't broken.She simply doesn't realise she's settling for a life that's far smaller than the one she's capable of living.Developing Desire is about that woman.The Abby before Victoria.The Abby before confidence.The Abby before desire finally wakes up.More Than a PrequelI never wanted this to feel like deleted scenes.Or bonus chapters.Or something you only read because you liked the series.Instead, I wanted it to stand on its own.You'll meet entirely new characters.You'll see Abby build friendships that shape who she becomes.You'll understand why photography means so much to her.You'll experience the loneliness she hides behind humour.You'll also begin to notice the tiny moments that slowly pull her towards the woman she'll eventually become.Because none of us change overnight.Every life is developed one frame at a time.Why It's Called Developing DesirePhotography is about developing an image.Bringing something hidden into the light.Watching details slowly appear where, moments before, there was nothing.That felt like the perfect metaphor for Abby.She isn't searching for dominance.She isn't searching for BDSM.She isn't even searching for Victoria.She's searching for herself.She just doesn't know it yet.A Thank You to My ReadersI could have sold this book.Instead, I wanted it to become something special.Developing Desire is my thank you to everyone who has supported the Awakening of Desire series over the years.The readers who've followed Victoria and Abby from the very beginning.The readers who've laughed, cried, shouted at their Kindles, and trusted me with these characters.This story belongs to you.That's why it's available exclusively to members with access to my Reader Vault.It's my way of giving something back.Welcome Back to EdinburghIf you've ever wondered...What Abby's life looked like before Victoria.Why she became a photographer.What finally pushed her towards the woman she was always meant to become.Who she was before desire changed everything.Then this story is for you.Because every great love story starts long before the two people meet.Sometimes...the most important journey is becoming the person ready to fall in love.New to the Awakening of Desire Series?Developing Desire is Abby's story before the events of May I Call You Mistress?While you can enjoy this novella on its own, it's written as a companion to the Awakening of Desire series and is filled with moments that longtime readers will recognise and appreciate.If you haven't yet experienced Victoria and Abby's unforgettable journey, I'd recommend starting with May I Call You Mistress? Then come back to Developing Desire and discover who Abby was before the woman who changed her life forever.Read May I Call You Mistress? first... then return here to discover where Abby's story truly began.Read Developing DesireIf you've unlocked access through the Ruby Scott Reader Vault, you can start reading Developing Desire right now.Enjoy Abby's story.Then come back and tell me the moment you realised she was finally ready to meet Victoria.
