Born For This // Aaron Hotchner

Author's Note

10/7/21

Dear Reader,

Today begins a new era in the universe of Nicotine with the long awaited sequel. It was a struggle to create and craft a future for characters I have created and will continue to create. Ever since Nicotine was finished I have been struggling with my depression and finding the motivation to keep going in everyday life as well as writing the stories I have published. So many of which have gone so long without an update and I apologize. Reading your comments and seeing just how much everyone has enjoyed Nicotine and my other works have kept me going. I read every single comment even if I do not respond or interact with many of them. I appreciate every one of my readers and hope I can write a sequel that everyone will love. I know it will be difficult to live up to the first story, but I am determined to try my best.

Ever since I announced the sequel I have been working to create a world that involves the original cast as well as their families. This of course involved spending more than seven hours creating a timeline and family tree for all the characters as well as character outlines. Born for This is by far one of my most thought out works and I hope it is as loved as I believe it will be.

My main goal as an author is to write stories I myself would love to read. It is something I try to live by. I know it is impossible to please everyone, but I will try to in order to continue a world which many have grown to love.

Warning: mention of suicide, depression

Since I started writing Born for This a lot has changed in my life. I am going to add in a slight trigger warning here due to what I am going to be discussing. On the evening of September 11, 2021 on the 20th anniversary of the tragic event, I got s call from my friend who was hysterical asking if I was okay. A fellow student of mine had jumped from the 13th floor of the dormitory next to me. My friend had incorrectly heard that it had been my dormitory and called me in fear that it has been I who had jumped. I have been struggling to deal with the suicide of the unnamed student. But before I was able to process and come to terms with the event I received a second email on September 20, when I was alerted that a second student had committed suicide in their on campus apartment. I am at a loss for words and cannot stress enough just how much every one of you guys mean to me. When I was at my worst I would read the comments left on my fanfics. The tragic events at my school have left me stuck in this cycle of grieving and it has been difficult to really write.

The events that have happened have definitely influenced my plans for Born for This. I will try my best to keep to a consistent publishing schedule but it is hard to balance school and free time. Just know I will try my best to write.

With love,
Mariaackerman911