Well, that's all she wrote...at least for now. The tale is far from over, and I think I realised that I'd be incapable of telling it all in one book, at around chapter 10. The last two years have been an emotional rollercoaster in every sense of the word, not just for my writing, and I promise you it will take me a lot less time to produce the sequel. Yes, there will be a sequel, and it's already in development as we speak.
I can't begin to tell you how blown away I've been by the feedback you guys have given me on the final two chapters of A Fractured Echo. For once I find myself unable to articulate exactly what it means to me that you have fallen in love with the characters I've created, and the story I've told. Your reaction to every chapter I've posted has exceeded any expectation I had when I first posted Holly's prologue.
To every one of you who has read, voted and taken a moment to leave your thoughts on my little tale, I applaud you, because you've shown such dedication and patience while I sort my shit out and post updates. For anyone who has just discovered AFE and fallen in love with Holly's journey, welcome aboard, and thank you for spending some time with our girl and those people who are important to her.
It would be impossible to let this first part of the journey ends without thanking a few people who have been instrumental in me getting to this point.
My amazing husband @AndrzejMarczewski – you are my rock through absolutely everything real and fictional. You've been a fantastic sounding board, and proof reader, who became utterly absorbed by these characters as a by-product. I know this kind of story isn't your bag at all, but the fact you've totally become #TeamJackson reassures me I've created a credible male romantic lead for anyone reading. I love you to infinity and beyond.
It would also be remiss of me to not mention Mini & Maxi, my two beautiful girls, who've been beyond patient, not to mention understanding when mummy had an idea in her head that needed to be written down. I must owe them so many cupcakes and other treats by way of apology for my negligent parenting when the muse struck.
@Miss_steele89 & @_emeraldeye_ – you ladies have been such a joyous source of support & strength for me, getting me through the moments where my writer's block seemed bigger than the Great Wall of China. You two provide lightness in the dark, and have been the best litmus test for some of these chapters and I love you to bits for all of that.
To the rest of my beautifully faithful gang of readers that have shown their love for Holly & Jackson after every single chapter since the very beginning – you all have a special place in my heart, and I've been so honoured to have you with me on this journey. Sara, Tina, Lisa, Karis, Angie, Shirley, Marlene, Emma (and everyone else whose Wattpad ID's I can't match to Twitter profiles), you ladies absolutely rock, and your comments make me have ALL THE FEELS!
I've also met some incredible writers across Wattpad and Twitter, but two that stand out for me (because I now know them as real humans too) are @LittleCinnamon & @LisaGilpin – I've been utterly shite at reading your work in the last twelve months, but I promise I will be better. Seeing you on Twitter each day makes my world a much brighter place.
Lastly, special thanks must go to @ScarlettDrake because if it wasn't for her pushing me to turn this tiny seed of an idea into a full-grown garden of characters & plot twists, there would never have been this 130k word tome to read. Scar, your friendship, encouragement and virtual slaps when I'm having a wobble, have been everything I've needed, and I love you dearly for your unwavering belief in my ability to make this happen. Thank you for calling me a 'wordy bitch' and meaning it in the nicest possible way. I could never be as beautifully concise or direct as you are in your writing, but somehow that seems to make me a good match for an introspective character like Holly.
So, what's next for our girl and her man? A new notebook has been started, and there's lots of scribbles inside it already. I'm going to take the time to get a substantial amount written before I start to publish anything, because I know my erratic posting schedule has been a sore point at times. Bear with me, I'll be keeping you updated on Twitter with progress, and I promise that the wait will be worth it.
At least I hope it will.
Much love,
Lou xx
YOU ARE READING
A Fractured Echo
RomanceWhat would you give to be able to erase your history, to start your life over with a clean slate? For some, this is the stuff of dreams, but for one woman that reality is laced with fear and uncertainty. Building a new life becomes infinitely hard...
