Final Author Note

Hello readers! Incredibly, it has taken me a whole year to write this story - something I find absolutely stunning, as it was originally only meant to be 30k or so. But of course, many things changed as I wrote the story, from the summary to the rating to the final plot twists at the end.

If I'm being honest, writing this story has been difficult for me - and not for any other reason than I lacked a passion for the story. Because I believe in being open about mental health, I will extend the courtesy to explain why.

I began writing this story five days after a suicide attempt. For me, this story was a much-needed distraction from the darkness in my own head and I grasped at it with a certain desperation. Please, just use this to replace my thoughts. I posted a poll on Facebook, picked the option with the most votes, and started writing to try to dig myself out of the warped mess in my head.

And it worked. I trudged through and used writing as an outlet and managed to climb out of a deep, dark space I never want to visit again. I wrote and I went to therapy. I wrote and I adjusted medications. I wrote and I wrote and I kept going. But by the time I did all of this, I realized that writing a story without passion for the story itself was difficult. On the heels of writing supernormal, a veritable epic and my personal favorite of anything I've ever written, continuing dottir when I had no real love for the story was a challenge.

I would have pulled the story, but you guys seemed to love it so much...and so I kept writing. And now that it is complete, I can stop and appreciate the journey that this story personally represents for me - I can keep going, even when I don't think that I can.

In fact, we all can.

Life in its most simple form is just getting through the day as best you can. The most any of us can do is try to get through the next 10 seconds, the next 10 minutes, the next 10 hours, and so on. Trying, even just a little, is better than not trying at all. And being content with what you can do is the best way to love yourself.

I suppose, in the end, I have to thank all who read the story this year. All of your reviews and support served as a reminder that I still have something I need to try to do. You guys have always been the most loyal and loving readers, and I truly appreciate each of you.

Hopefully, if you're having your own struggles, you will find this note and it will help you find a way to keep going.

Remember: reach out for help when you need it and keep trying, even when you don't think you can anymore.

All my thanks and appreciation,

Rae