Hi there everyone. You probably already know that my name is Julie Grayson and I am the author of the psychological thriller Brighter When Broken.
One of the most frequent questions I get asked about is related to my protagonist, Lachlan: How do you take a woman chained in a basement—the ultimate victim—and turn her into the driving force of her own escape?
The key was to make her a strategist, not just a survivor. From the very first chapter, even disoriented and drugged, Lachlan’s mind is working. She notices the “stair-step” pattern of her bruises (a clue to a past “accident”), the darker stains beneath the fresh ones on the mattress (hinting at history), and she remembers. Her weapon isn’t physical strength—it’s her deep, personal knowledge of her antagonist, her husband Jack.
Her flashbacks aren’t just backstory; they’re Lachlan’s training montage. Every poker lesson, every boardroom showdown, every veiled threat was Jack unknowingly teaching her how he operates. His tells—the twitch in his jaw, the phrase “no delays”—become her lifelines. She uses the very tools of his manipulation (psychological pressure, seeded doubt, the promise of money) against him and his henchmen.
I also wanted to explore a specific kind of resilience. It’s not fearless. It’s the act of being terrified and choosing to think anyway. It’s the gambit with the soap, the calculated performance to get Jenna close enough. Her goal shifts from mere survival to active dismantling: “Survive. Then dismantle him, step by step.”
In a genre where female characters can oftentimes be passive, I wanted Lachlan to be an active architect of her own destiny, even from the floor of a prison. She’s broken, but she uses the sharp pieces. For me, that’s the most compelling kind of hero—one who redeems themselves not by magic, but by meticulous, painful cunning.
Who are some of your favorite protagonists who use their minds as their ultimate weapon?
