³𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 ✔

authors note!

holy. fucking. shit.

i honestly do not know how to sum up how much this book has meant to me into a few paragraphs and just like carla.....i don't really know how to say goodbye, either.

season 3 is my forever comfort season period. the 80's nostalgia, the plotlines, the scenery, scoops troop.....EVERYTHING is just so perfect to me.  so, getting to write my favorite oc into it has been an honor and one of my absolute favorite things to do. 

i started this book right after finishing vanished with such motivation. getting to develop carla's plotline has been one of the most creative things i've ever done for an book, let alone in general, and i'm proud of myself for it honestly. her connection to the upside down was so interesting to add, and her flayed plot line was the most creative idea i've ever came up with.

developing character wise was also hella fun to do for carla. getting to write her sister bonds with max and el has been a favorite (gonna miss my babies in s4 bc WHY TF DOES EL GOTTA BE IN CALI TILL THE END OF E9) and s3 starla, (while little due to russia) was top tier. 

this book has also been a way to showcase some of my favorite and best writing i've ever done. this summer was the highlight of my writing career. this year i've developed as a writer and it's been really fun to get to re-write missing AND write chapters of this book just to see how much i've changed...

like i said before....i really don't know how to express how much this book has meant to me. but, simply, this has been the time of my life and i'm really gonna miss writing s3 for carla and in general. 

but enough about the book in general and more about ya'lls.

i won't lie and say i didn't lose motivation for this book because, uh, yes, i REALLY did. starting during chapter 20 and continuing until this point, i have found it SO hard to write for carla. whether it be me hating what i was writing or just not being in the mood to write my own filler rather than show dialogue....it just came really hard. 

i went about 3 months without updating and i'm still so sorry for it. eden bexley (from my other main fic, summertime sadness) stole my motivation and really just sprinted away with it. i'm proud and happy with how much i've gotten done with her story, but i always felt bad just leaving you guys and carla on the sidelines. carla is my og girl and will always be my favorite oc.

but none of ya'll left during my no update spree??? i mean, i got comments from some asking when my next update would be, or if i was gonna come back soon, and when i DID update i got comments like "omg you're back" which was like....hella crazy to me??? 

it's one thing to write on wattpad knowing that a few people will read but it's another thing to KNOW people are reading and enjoying your book. to know that they actually want more??? call me sappy idk but it feels great to see comments like that and know that at least someone wants you to keep writing.

so THANK YOUUUUUUU to everyone who stayed, read, voted, commented, or even just viewed this book. you guys make my day with your comments and i'm glad that you (hopefully) enjoyed reading this book as much as i enjoyed writing it!! i love all ya'll to the moon and to saturn <3

some readers in particular i'd like to shout out are coffeebeanbabys, stainedstardom, & 

but, of course, i can't leave here without saying a BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG thank you to one of my favorite people GHOST!! you guys probably already know how we met via comments on missing and vanished, but i would be lying if i said she isn't my main motivation source for this  book—she honestly got me through vanished. 

ghost, tysm for being my number one! i'm always excited to update just to see your comments and i always appreciate how active you've always been with my writing—to people who don't know, comments are a REALLY easy way to make an authors day. this book has grown our relationship and i'm happy to call you my mutual and my friend <3 i love you lots and i hope you're ready for season four bc i'm sure not :)

as you already know, there is a book four! it will be called sighted and will ofc take place during s4. this season was a whirlwind of events and i'm excited and scared to work carla wheeler into all of it. 

to sum everything up, tysm for taking time out of your life to read this book (written by a chronically online teenager who is overly obsessed with steve harrington) and i hope to see you all back with s4 :)