Meet the creator of Seabreeze as Charley reveals the story behind the new WLW romance

A chance meeting on a beach, two women approaching forty and a golden retriever called Rye are at the heart of Seabreeze, an original WLW romance series created by Charley, the writer behind Between Her and Her.

The series follows Emma and Lily, two women carrying difficult experiences from their past who find themselves unexpectedly drawn to one another. Rather than rushing into a relationship, the story explores grief, attraction, trust and the uncertainty of allowing someone new into your life.

But the story behind the series is just as interesting. After Charley and her wife were both made redundant, she decided to pursue a creative ambition she had spent years putting aside. What began as a novel has since developed into an AI-produced drama, with plans for multiple seasons and further original stories.

In an exclusive interview with SoapLandTV, Charley discusses the inspiration behind Seabreeze, the challenges of AI filmmaking and what viewers can expect next.

What inspired you to create Seabreeze?

Quite a few things, really, and probably not in the way you'd expect.

Last year, my wife and I were both made redundant after working together for over 15 years. Normally, losing both household incomes at the same time would be the point where you'd start panicking. But, if I'm completely honest, I'd never felt more relieved.

I'd spent years working in operations, and suddenly I had time to think about what I actually wanted to do next.

After a lot of thinking, some therapy (haha!) and probably far too much questioning of my life choices, I realised that, if I could help it, I didn't want to go back to the usual nine-to-five, stuck-in-an-office routine.

I've always loved writing. Over the years, I'd dabbled with different stories, mostly just to keep my imagination busy, but I'd never really done anything with them.

Then I got completely hooked on a few WLW drama series on YouTube and thought, why not give it a go myself?

I'd already developed Seabreeze as a novel, so I had a story and characters to work with. What I hadn't quite appreciated was how difficult adapting a book into a screenplay would be.

You can't just turn every chapter into a scene. You have to work out which moments really matter, what can be left out and how to keep the heart of the story intact.

And despite what people might think, AI production isn't free or particularly cheap. An episode can easily cost a few hundred pounds, depending on its length and how much editing is involved.

So that's really how Seabreeze started. A combination of wanting to do something creative, having a story I believed in and deciding that perhaps it was time to stop just thinking about doing things and actually try one.

Can you introduce us to the two main characters and their relationship?

Emma is 37, English, an artist and someone who's had a pretty awful time of things recently. She's lost her twin sister, Jess, and her relationship has fallen apart. She moves to the coastal town of Seabreeze hoping for a fresh start, although she's not entirely sure what that looks like.

I think there's probably a little bit of me in Emma. I have a degree in Art History and Museum Studies, and for years I imagined that one day I'd be running my own art gallery. I was never the world's greatest painter, but I've always loved art, making things and being creative.

Some of Emma's experiences with loss are also familiar to me, so I understand why she sometimes struggles to let people in.

Then there's Lily, who's 39, a marine biologist with Icelandic roots and a slightly more confident approach to life. She's warm, independent and has her own history of heartbreak, although she doesn't necessarily advertise it.

Their relationship starts with a chance meeting on the beach, and there's an immediate attraction. Neither of them really knows what to do with it, particularly Emma.

What I love about them is that they're two grown women who have already lived quite a lot of life. They're not looking for someone to complete them. They're trying to work out whether they're brave enough to let someone else become part of their lives.

And of course there's Rye, Emma's golden retriever, who is arguably the most sensible character in the entire series.

What makes Seabreeze different from other WLW romance stories?

I wouldn't necessarily say I'm trying to reinvent WLW romance. There are some brilliant stories out there, and they're part of what inspired me to give this a go.

But I did notice that quite a few series move relatively quickly into the romantic side of things, and I completely understand why.

Firstly, who doesn't love getting to the good stuff? And secondly, when you're producing episodes using AI, every additional scene costs money.

But I wanted Seabreeze to feel a little more natural. Emma doesn't suddenly stop grieving because she's met an attractive woman on a beach. Lily doesn't forget her past just because there's chemistry between them.

They're both approaching forty, they have careers, baggage, insecurities and their own ways of dealing with things.

I wanted to show the ordinary moments that make a relationship feel real. The awkward conversations, the humour, the hesitation and those tiny gestures that sometimes say far more than a dramatic declaration of love.

Hopefully, that's what makes Seabreeze feel a little different.

Why did you choose a slow-burn romance?

Because I love the build-up!

There's something about watching two people slowly realise how much they mean to each other that's far more interesting to me than rushing straight into a relationship.

I wanted viewers to get to know Emma and Lily individually before becoming completely invested in them as a couple. With Emma especially, it wouldn't have felt right to have her fall into a new relationship immediately after everything she's experienced.

I also think those little moments of attraction are often the best part of a romance. A hand brushing against another, a look that lasts a second too long, or someone suddenly becoming completely incapable of forming a sensible sentence.

We've all been there. Well, I certainly have!

I want people watching to feel that anticipation and occasionally get frustrated with the characters for not just admitting how they feel.

But when things do progress, I want it to feel believable and deserved.

What's been the biggest challenge of creating the series using AI?

Oh, where do I start?

Continuity is probably the biggest headache. Getting the characters to look the same from one scene to the next, keeping their voices consistent and making sure the locations don't mysteriously rearrange themselves can be an absolute nightmare.

I've had characters suddenly change accents, appear in completely different clothes or decide to speak at exactly the same time as someone else. And that's before you get into the emotional side of things. Getting AI to produce a believable expression or a subtle moment of chemistry can take several attempts.

The other challenge is cost. People often assume AI means you can create an entire series for next to nothing, but that's really not the case. Every generation, correction and edit can add to the cost, so you have to be quite selective about what you produce.

That's also why adapting the novel has been such an important part of the process. I need to keep the story moving without losing the moments that make it meaningful.

I'm learning as I go, and I'm certainly not claiming to have mastered it. Some days it feels like an incredible creative tool. Other days I wonder whether the AI characters are deliberately trying to bankrupt me.

But I genuinely enjoy the challenge.

Is there a scene you're especially proud of?

Definitely the scene outside Emma's house on the beach, when Emma and Lily first meet. It's such a simple interaction, but I think it sets up their relationship beautifully.

That brief touch of their hands says so much without either character needing to explain anything. Emma's reaction, the awkwardness and that immediate sense that something has shifted between them really open up the possibilities for what's to come.

It's exactly the sort of moment I wanted Seabreeze to capture.

And of course, Rye is adorable. I might be slightly biased, but I think he steals just about every scene he's in. He'll definitely be appearing in plenty more episodes. I couldn't possibly write him out now!

What can viewers expect from upcoming episodes?

A lot more of Emma and Lily, for a start!

The plan has always been to develop Seabreeze into a multi-season series rather than tell the whole story in a handful of short episodes. There's still so much to explore with both characters, particularly their past relationships, Emma's grief and how they learn to trust each other.

Their connection will continue to develop, but it won't necessarily be straightforward. There'll be romance, jealousy, difficult conversations, humour and some emotional moments along the way.

We'll also get to know more of the people around them and the town itself.

And there are definitely plans for more books alongside the series. I don't want to give too much away, but I think viewers can expect the relationship to become more complicated before it becomes easier. It wouldn't be much of a drama otherwise, would it?

Do you have plans for more WLW stories?

Yes, absolutely. In fact, that's one of the things I'm most excited about.

I've started building Between Her & Her as a home for original WLW stories, with Seabreeze being the first series. I'd love to develop a collection of stories featuring different women, relationships, backgrounds and stages of life.

I'm already working on another concept called The Art of Being Unseen, about a self-made billionaire named Mia who, before turning forty, has achieved almost everything she thought she wanted professionally but is beginning to question what actually matters to her.

It's quite a different setting from Seabreeze, but it still explores identity, relationships and the complicated business of being human. I'd also love to continue writing the books alongside the screen adaptations.

Ultimately, I want to create stories that people connect with, featuring characters who feel believable, even when their circumstances are a little extraordinary.

I don't know exactly where all of this will lead yet, but after spending so many years working in a completely different industry, it's quite nice to be doing something that genuinely excites me.

And if I can make it work without having to return to an office five days a week, even better!

Where to watch Seabreeze

Seabreeze is available to watch on YouTube through Between Her and Her, where viewers can follow Emma and Lily's developing romance and discover new episodes as the story continues.

Watch the series on the Between Her and Her YouTube channel.

Where to read the Seabreeze book

The original Seabreeze novel inspired Charley's screen adaptation, bringing Emma and Lily's story from the page to the screen.

Readers can search for Seabreeze by Charley Fletcher on Amazon UK.

Where to follow Between Her and Her

Keep up with creator Charley, the latest Seabreeze episodes, behind-the-scenes updates and future WLW projects by following Between Her and Her on social media.

Follow Between Her and Her on Instagram and subscribe to the YouTube channel.