When I created Sierra Cavendish—the sharp, determined rookie bodyguard in Redwood File—I knew I wanted her to feel distinct from the typical action-hero mold. One small detail became surprisingly important: Sierra is left-handed.

As soon as I made that choice, I realized something… writing a left-handed character in an action-heavy romantic thriller meant real research. Not just “she uses her left hand,” but how that affects firearms, hand-to-hand combat, driving, tools, and everyday movements most right-handers never think about.
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Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what I discovered—and how it shaped Sierra’s training, challenges, and triumphs.

1. Firearms: Ejection, Safety, and the Face-Full-of-Brass Problem
Most standard handguns are built for right-handed shooters. That means the spent cartridge ejects to the right--directly across the shooter’s face if they’re left-handed.
For Sierra, that created two issues:
A. Brass to the face - Hot brass can hit the cheek, forehead, or even land inside a shirt collar (ouch). Left-handed shooters must adjust their stance or choose a firearm with ambidextrous or left-side ejection.
B. Magazine release & safety placement - Many pistols place these on the left side of the gun—perfect for right-hand thumb use, awkward for left-handers.
In Redwood File, Sierra trains on a firearm designed for ambidextrous handling so her muscle memory works under stress. It also reinforces that she’s had to overcome non-obvious challenges to rise in a profession built for right-handers.

2. Hand-to-Hand Combat: Stance, Surprise Advantage & Tactical Imbalance
Left-handed fighters have quirks—and hidden advantages.
A. The southpaw stance - In boxing, martial arts, and defensive tactics, a left-handed fighter leads with their right side forward. This throws off opponents accustomed to right-hand dominance.
Sierra uses this to her benefit: Her “mirror stance” can create openings, force attackers to hesitate, or disrupt their rhythm.
B. Weapon retention and disarming - In training scenarios, instructors often default to right-handed attacks. Left-handers must mentally rewrite techniques so:

• grips reverse
• leverage changes
• spins & pivots start from the opposite side

3. Driving: Left-Hand Dominance in an Automatic
Most of us don’t think twice about driving automatic cars—but handedness still matters when your character is:

• performing evasive maneuvers
  firing from inside a vehicle
• steering one-handed
• switching quickly between steering wheel and gear selector

For a lefty bodyguard:
A. Steering control - Left-hand dominant drivers may instinctively steer with their left hand—leaving their right hand free for other tasks in high-pressure situations.
B. Door exits & weapon draw - A left-handed draw inside a car is more restricted—seat belts, consoles, and doors can interfere. Bodyguards train around this, but it’s a real-world consideration that shapes choreography.
C. Mirror orientation - Left-eye dominance (common in left-handers) affects rear-view scanning patterns, influencing how Sierra checks her surroundings.

Character-Driven Impact
Giving Sierra left-handedness wasn’t a gimmick—it became a foundational part of her identity:

• She learned everything the hard way.
• She adapted when instructors didn’t accommodate her.
• She built strength from inconvenience.
• She discovered tactical advantages hidden in being “the odd one out.”

Her handedness symbolizes how she moves through the world—not quite following the expected path, yet turning every disadvantage into quiet strength.

Why Atlanta Became Home to the Rider Team
Atlanta has been a recurring stop in my life—an energetic, sprawling Southern city I’ve visited more times than I can count. It’s a place steeped in culture, charm, grit, and international reach, blending modern skyscrapers with tree-lined neighborhoods, luxury dining with hole-in-the-wall gems, and small-town warmth with global influence.
So when I began crafting my romantic suspense series, The Rider Files, it wasn’t long before Atlanta became the perfect home base for Rider Security and Investigation. And the story behind choosing Atlanta is almost as fun as the series itself.

🍷 A Glass of Wine, a Conversation, and the Birth of the Rider Team
Years ago, over a quiet evening and a glass of wine, I told my husband I wanted to write a romantic suspense series centered on strong female characters—women who take charge, solve crimes, fall in love, and save lives.

He listened, smiled, and said, “Let’s build you a team.” That night, Rider Security and Investigation was born—named after Maxine Rider, retired Marine who built her company around diverse specialists and rooted it in a city big enough to house all their high-stakes missions.

My husband is from Atlanta, so as we talked, he sprinkled in stories, favorite spots, traffic disasters, hidden gems, and local color that helped shape the fictional landscape. It became a beautiful melding of memory, imagination, and partnership.

🌐 Why Atlanta Was the Perfect Setting for Rider Security
1. An International Hub
With Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—one of the busiest airports in the world—the city provides seamless access for Rider’s operatives to jet off to trouble spots in:

• Europe
• Africa
• South America
• The West Coast
• The Caribbean
  
  

It made perfect sense for a private security firm with global clients and international missions.

2. A Blend of Grit and Glamour
Atlanta offers the right mix for suspense:

• sleek high-rises
• winding neighborhoods
• forested outskirts
• historic pockets
• gritty back alleys
• polished corporate districts
  
  

It’s a city of layers—ideal for chases, stakeouts, romantic interludes, and clandestine meetings.

3. Personal Connection
Being married to an Atlantan means Atlanta never feels generic to me. It feels lived-in. Loved. Familiar. And that authenticity trickles into the pages—locations feel real because they are real.

🍔 Favorite Atlanta Landmarks I’ve Featured (or Should!)
One of the best perks of setting a series in a city I know is weaving in the iconic spots I’ve visited, revisited, and fallen in love with.
✨ The Varsity
“What’ll ya have?”
A classic Atlanta staple—perfect for quick bites, undercover meets, or lighthearted moments between tense scenes.
✨ Bones Restaurant
Elegant, old-school, and the perfect place for Rider operatives to celebrate victories or conduct discreet negotiations over a world-class steak.
✨ Georgia Aquarium
With its breathtaking whale sharks and ethereal underwater tunnels, it provides the perfect backdrop for introspective scenes… or meet-cutes.
✨ World of Coca-Cola
A fun, colorful stop that blends nostalgia with whimsy—ideal for lighter moments in a high-stakes series.
✨ Piedmont Park
Scenic, sprawling, and a perfect place for outdoor scenes, quiet conversations, or unexpected plot twists.
✨ Centennial Olympic Park
Vibrant and full of history—its fountains and walkways bring energy and motion to any scene.
✨ Midtown & Buckhead
Trendy, modern, fast-paced areas filled with restaurants, offices, and upscale hotels—great for corporate intrigue or luxury-level suspense.
Atlanta lets me play with all these textures. And the Rider team thrives in that variety.

🔥 Atlanta in the Rider Files: More Than a Setting
In The Rider Files, Atlanta becomes:

• a strategic base
• a character in its own right
• a node connecting international missions
• the heart from which the Rider team operates
• a place where danger finds the team—and where love does too
  
  

It’s chaotic, charming, complex, and perfect for a suspense series built on action, emotion, and resilience.

And every time I write a new Rider story, I feel that same creative joy I felt years ago, sitting with my husband, dreaming up a team of powerful, brilliant women and the men who help—or try to keep up with—them.

Atlanta gave the Rider Files a home. And in return, I get to revisit the city again and again—on the page and in my memories.
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Check out the Rider Series!
ROMANTIC THRILLERS
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