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This is an author’s note, not a chapter, so it isn’t locked. It’s ‘Chapter C’ as in Roman Numeral One Hundred. The real Chapter 100 will post immediately after this item. I just wanted to post something to mark the personal accomplishment of reaching one hundred chapters. If you don’t care for such self-backpats, just go forward to the actual chapter.
When I began this story, I didn’t plan to publish it. I’ve explained that already and I will not repeat myself. When I decided to write it seriously, and went back and cleaned up the slopping rough draft while making a few adjustments to fit a very vague story plan in my head, I had an idea of ending up with a seventy- to eighty-thousand-word novel. At this point I’ve already doubled that, and my story plan has grown into a long many-volume work.
What the heck happened?
I was in the middle of volume one when I realized I was on a much longer journey. I had an image in my mind that couldn’t be contained in eighty thousand words. But by that time I had committed to publishing on Creative Novels and I didn’t want to back out. So, here I am at Chapter 100, and I am quite confident Chapter 200 is on its way. I was looking at my overall plan the other day and wondering if I would be done before 300.
Actually, I think I will be. I’m pretty sure ‘the end’ will be somewhere in the 200s. Although I already have a half-baked idea for another series set on Huade once I’m done with “Substitute Hero”.
Will I write the followup? I don’t know. The way I imagine it now, Tiana would occasionally show up, the way that someone like Mother does, but it would be about a whole new main character. So I will finish Tiana’s story whether I write the other thing or not, because nothing ticks me off worse than an author dropping a web series without wrapping it up.
Anyway, my real purpose for writing this little note comes now:
I want to thank every single reader who has stayed with me up until now. I’m sure I’ve lost readers here and there. Some didn’t like the yuri elements or the regular occurrences of shounen-style fan service. Others might fear she’s now heading into a straight romance and are preparing to jump ship. But what is really going to happen?
Those who have stuck with me are in it to find out, and I’m glad you’re here with us. For now I will say neither yuri Tiana or straight Tiana are past tense. And, she will figure out how to live with herself and her situation on her own terms eventually.
I know she frustrates those who want her to just tell everyone to go to hell and let her live her own life. She frustrates me, too. But the fact is, teenagers have a way of frustrating those of us who watch over them, so this shouldn’t be a surprise. Besides, her personality demands that she find a way to live on her own terms while still being the person she and everyone else expects of her. That’s a very hard goal to reach, and she has a long road ahead of her, but she won’t be satisfied with a lesser result, so she’ll keep trying to reach it.
In the meantime, lots more is going to happen. I hope you stick around and we’ll talk more about it at ‘Chapter CC’.
