What It Really Means to Be Tempered — And Why I Chose the Title

We talk about people being ‘strong,’ but strength is rarely something we’re born with. More often, it’s something forged — shaped by pressure, heat, and the moments that threaten to break us. That’s what it means to be tempered.

In metalwork, tempering is a deliberate process. Each heated cycle changes the structure. Each shock makes it tougher, more resilient, less likely to shatter under strain.

But tempering isn’t just about metal, not in my book anyway. I also think of chocolate. Tempered chocolate is glossy, smooth, and strong — but only if it’s handled with absolute precision. Too hot, and it burns. Too cool, and it seizes. Tempering chocolate is a dance between heat and control, chaos and discipline. You coax it into stability. You guide it into its best form. And if you rush it, or mishandle it, it collapses.

Metal is forged through force. Chocolate is shaped through finesse. And I think some of my characters sit between the two. Characters who are reshaped by what they’ve endured, even when they don’t realise it. Characters who walk the line between strength and fragility, just like metal and chocolate in the hands of someone trying to get it right. And without giving too much away about my characters, that’s exactly why I chose the title Tempered, and you’ll find that it isn’t a story about perfection. It’s a story about transformation.