Author's note:
Hi guys. So… serious talk. I know you probably are all getting sick and tired of my apologies and my inconstant chapter updates… and the fact that I haven't updated in almost two years. I know that a long time ago, I've made promises that I did not keep and for that I sincerely apologize. So why am I addressing this now, as its own chapter instead of a short blurb at the beginning of the latest installment? Well I think it's time I was honest with you about a couple of things.
First, I no longer want to be a writer. Now that's not to say that I don't want to write. I absolutely adore writing, and if I was told I couldn't do it anymore, I would probably become depressed. I enjoy making characters, telling stories, sharing adventures and going into an alternate world that I as a writer control. I love putting my characters against formidable foes and having them find the strength in themselves to carry on. However, I've grown up some, both as a writer and as a person. I've found something that I want to do and right now I'm going to school in the hopes of becoming a high school English teacher. I want to take this passion I have for writing and storytelling and impart it into teenagers to get them excited about it. If I realized my childhood dream of becoming an author, I think my love for writing would have all but extinguished by now. When I write, it's because I'm inspired. If I feel forced to sit in front of a screen and type because of a deadline or a promise I've made, my lack of enthusiasm transcends through my writing. Even now, when I reread my older chapters I can tell which ones were inspired and which were simply me filling a quota.
Second, I'm not going to make "deadline" promises anymore. I'm not going to be updating regularly and I'm not going to tell you when to expect a new chapter. I don't want to sit in front of a screen and begrudgingly type away any more than you guys want to read a half-assed chapter. So although I won't tell you when to expect a new chapter, I will promise you this; I will see this story all the way through to its end. Whether it is within the year, or three years from now, I promise you that you will read the ending of "No Turning Back" with me as the writer. I will not hand this story off to anybody.
And finally, I know I don't say this a lot but I honestly do love all of you guys, my readers, who've been with me from the beginning and those who may have jumped on board along the way. Seriously, it's amazing to me that you all enjoy reading my stories and that you find my characters and my interpretation of characters interesting. It's even more amazing, even mind boggling, that you all patiently wait for a chapter or comment and ask me when the next update is coming up. Seriously, the fact that you all want to read my stories just completely blows my mind! I've written stories before on my own and all of them have crashed. I'd write a little bit… and then it'd just lose its appeal and I'd just drop it. I have so many ideas for fan fictions and original stories that have just died. You make me want to keep this story going. Whenever I thought about just dropping this project, I'd reread your comments and gain strength from them. So I just want to say thank you. From the very bottom of my heart, thank you for your lovely words of encouragement and your words of criticism. Thank you for keeping this story alive within me and thank you for your patience.
From now on, if I'm going to write an author's note, I'll write it like this. I don't want to take away from the reading experience, so I'll write a "chapter" with the title author's note and you can decide whether or not you want to read it. Thank you once again for your support and I hope to see you in the next installment!