(There's no story here, just an author's note. Proceed to Chapter 2 if this doesn't interest you. You won't miss out on anything.)
A Labor of Love
Kiss #0
"A Shower of Kisses" began in August 2007, while I was still an undergraduate in my university's English program. I was just about to return to school after a one-semester hiatus and wanted to practice writing romance, a genre which I had never seriously attempted before. My love life was practically nonexistent*, and I've always believed that good writing draws from personal experience. Maybe that's why writing these stories has been so challenging, and so colored by my own life's story. Perhaps I relate to Yoh, a young man who tries so hard to do right by the one he loves yet never seems to reap the rewards of his behavior. Perhaps, to a somewhat embittered person such as myself, every love interest seems like Anna – the unobtainable, intimidating woman of few words and fewer kind gestures. Whatever the reason, I found that I enjoyed the challenge of writing a genre I had never before explored.
Five years after its inception, this collection has grown to encompass over 30 stories. It might surprise you to learn that I, like many of the readers for whom I am so grateful, have my favorites too. Skimming through the collection one chapter at a time, I can see my growth as a writer. (Give me another two hundred years or so and I might finally become a real author.) Naturally, I also have my regrets. There are stories here, particularly older ones, that I now know are not representative of the quality of writing I strive for with every new chapter. But my greatest regret is that a lot has changed in five years, and I no longer have the free time to publish new chapters nearly as frequently as I once did. Since 2009 I have written barely a half-dozen new chapters.
I know that I owe it to you – the fans who have supported me for nearly five years now – to continue my stories to the best of my ability. Begging for reviews is not my intention here, but I will say truthfully that nothing makes me want to put my other hobbies on hold for another weekend and start typing like seeing a new review. If you're shy, lazy, or can't seem to find the words to express your opinion, I don't expect you to suddenly write me a five-paragraph critique. But if you liked a story, didn't think a story worked, or just wanted me to know you read all thirty-something chapters, it'll only take a minute, I'll be so grateful, and a new chapter will hit sooner than you think.
Ah, heck. A thousand reviews or none at all – thank you, every one of you, for reading. I always wanted to be a professional author, and although my vocation has diverged from that path, the dream lives on with each and every reader I'm lucky enough to get. You've all made it such a wonderful five years. Here's to five more. Hopefully with more reviews!
-"Kefra," January 18, 2012
*It's still nonexistent. Do any of my readers want to help change this? :P
Latest Updates
1/31/12 Kiss #35, "Exorcism"
1/18/12 Kiss #0, "A Labor of Love" (Author's Note)
1/13/12 Kiss #34, "Restless Spirits"
7/17/11 Kiss #33, "Neatness Counts"
8/6/10 Kiss #32, "Valentine's Day Meltdown"
2/6/10 Kiss #31, "Punch Drunk"
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