Behind the Flames: A Conversation with Tigris Eden about Ember’s Deleted Scenes

Welcome to Café Ember, where we explore the fiery world of “Ember” and the creative process behind it. Today, author Tigris Eden shares an intimate deleted scene and discusses why it didn’t make the final cut.

TE: You know, sometimes the hardest part of writing isn’t creating scenes—it’s deciding which ones stay and which ones go. Today I wanted to share a deleted scene that still holds a special place in my heart. It takes place after the main events of the book, when Rose is still learning to control her powers.

This scene explores something I think many readers are curious about: the complicated relationship between Journ and Meiren as they navigate co-motherhood of Rose. There’s so much unresolved emotion there—betrayal, resentment, but also a grudging recognition that they both love this child deeply.

TE: [sips tea] This scene captures something I really wanted to explore—the beginning of healing between these sisters. It’s not forgiveness, not reconciliation, but that first crack in the wall of resentment.

So why didn’t it make it into the final book?

Pacing, primarily. The ending already had so many emotional beats to hit, and this scene would have required setting up a new conflict (Rose’s evolving powers) that would then need resolution. As much as I loved the intimate moment between Journ and Meiren, it felt like it belonged in the next chapter of their story, perhaps in a sequel.

I also struggled with where exactly to place it. The scene exists in this in-between space—after the main conflicts are resolved but before the epilogue. It’s a quieter moment in a book that moves at a pretty relentless pace.