Hello hello hello everybody!
Julibee Darling here with a short letter to all the readers who have read, watched, favorited, reviewed, and messaged me about this fanfic. I cannot describe how much every review, good or bad (except the obnoxious twats that clearly didn't read the author's notes before typing…), every PM, favorite…it's truly meant the WORLD to me.
Since I keep receiving messages on a regular basis asking things like "when will you update?" and "please update!" I thought it was time to let everybody know what's happening with me. You may have noticed that I haven't put up a fresh chapter in a long while, and unfortunately, it'll be a few more months before I can again.
Earlier this year I reached a milestone I've waited YEARS for. I sold my first book, and will be a published romance author at last! It's a steampunk pirate romance novel titled "The Clockwork Captain's Bride" – slated to come out next year either in the summer or the fall, depending on how the editing process goes.
FEAR NOT! Put the pitchforks and torches down! I promise this story is, by no means, finished! I just had to put it aside while I finish up my manuscript, which is going to be finished by February 2014. Believe me, I will need a HUGE literary indulgence by the time I finish this monster of a book – it's 50K words long and it's only a quarter of the way started!
The Way it Should Have Been is very important to me and there's no way I'm going to let it go unfinished. I began writing fanfics when I was 13 years old…more than a decade ago (did I just date myself?). was a personal godsend that got me through the rough teenage years, and writing fanfics was what I cut my writing-teeth on. I didn't try an original story until I was 19! And I have to say, one of the most special, stand-out fanfics I read was "The Hot Spring" by kuronekosama. It's an epic InuYasha fanfic that chronicles the romance between Sesshoumaru and Rin long after the series has concluded and she grew up. If you're an Inu Yasha fan and would like to read it, google kuronekosama! She has a website where all her wonderful fanfics are hosted, as well as links to buy her published works! I highly recommend them. Every year I go back and reread each one, not only for sentimental reasons, but to be awed that they've aged so well. :D And to not only have written a successful, canon-fanfic as she did AND begin a publishing career of my own…oh, damn damn damn, I'm tearing up in idol-worship!
Guys, thank you again for the ABUNDANCE of reviews, support, favorites, watches, the whole nine. Because showing the overwhelming, positive response to this fanfic to my publisher when I was interviewing helped convince him to sign a contract with me. YOU, dear readers, are the reason I've been able to start on this wonderful writing adventure! THANK YOU! Which is why I swear to finish this story – my thank you gift to you all!
And, I look forward to February coming and being free to get the ball rolling on The Way it Should Have Been again!