Blood Burden

Author's Note

Alright, before anyone gets worked up, this is not the end of Valencia's story. I am most definitely continuing, as you can probably tell from the image above, but let me explain a little bit first.

Over the past few days, I've been working on prewritten chapters, and I kept thinking that this book is getting long, I usually stay around 25-30 ish chapters, and I feel like I'm running out of time. I most definitely surpassed the length of any of my other books in this series and that's when I started to realize some things.

These characters have developed through my own emotional turmoil. Their story is just a story of my own pain. I have never written an emotion I haven't felt and I realize that there is so much more that needs to be said. So many more emotions, defense mechanisms, and fears that Valencia needs to work through. She's scared to let people in and it takes time to overcome that, among everything else she's dealing with.

I want my characters from past books in this series to be a part of Val's journey because they all share pain. As most of you have mentioned, Reeve and Valencia have somewhat similar backgrounds. They need time together. I want special, heartfelt moments between Valencia and Andy. I want to throw a curveball with Andy's mother and allow her character to develop. I want all the time in the world between Cassius and Valencia. I want Leroy and Beth to become parent figures for Valencia. I want to develop all of the children. I want it all and that's when I realized, god, I have plans enough for a whole other book with 40+ chapters. 

So, instead of pushing this book well over 70 chapters, I made the decision. 

I am breaking this story into two parts. Two books.

Part Two is called Blood Floweret.

(Cover is image above)

My reason for doing this is because I don't want to rush any of these characters. I don't want to minimize any emotions. I want to make the journey of healing as realistic as possible, as closely as I can to my own experience with healing from trauma. It is not an easy journey and it can become exceptionally messy. Even to this day, I am still healing, but I don't hurt as much as I used to. I can talk freely of my past because its part of me, it has made me into who I am today, and it gives me the strength to work through any new struggles in my life today and in the future. I want Valencia to get there. I want her to feel that. I want you guys to understand and feel it, too, because it's very real and very powerful, and you are never alone.

It's kind of ironic, really, that healing seems to always have two stages. The stage where you acknowledge the pain or get hurt but try to ignore it, and then the next stage which is acceptance and how you respond and heal from the pain. Some people never reach the second stage, some people end it all in the first stage. But, that idea made it even more appealing to split this story up because it represents two different stages. The end of one and the beginning of another.

I also can't emphasize enough how important forgiveness is. I've received a lot of hate through the early stages of this book, and even now, about forgiveness and the conflict with victims. It is not for them, it is for you. And it will never make their actions okay, but it will give you peace. I don't know, its such a complex thing to explain, but I am trying my best.

I hope you guys don't mind that I'm splitting this story into two parts and I hope you will continue to enjoy reading. I am truly inspired by your comments and support. I figured this decision would make many of you happy because you have been requesting therapy sessions between different characters and Valencia... and I'm more than happy to deliver. I have so much more room with a second book and I know you guys will love the second surprise I have in store (it will definitely get you in tears because its also been highly requested since book one)

And just one last thing, I selected the name [Blood Floweret] because I came across a Mexican tropical flower, called the Blood Flower. It is widely recognized as a butterfly plant, with vibrant red, orange and yellow colors. I absolutely fell in love with the symbolism. A caterpillar must first go through change before it can become a beautiful butterfly. It symbolizes blossoming and growth, like forgiveness and strength. 

After discovering that Blood Flower is a widely used novel name, I did some deeper research and found the term floweret. Floweret means a small flower or bud that is part of a bigger flower cluster. It was a perfect symbolism of how small things can contribute to the bigger image and they are just as important to a beautiful masterpiece. It was just too perfect and I fell in love.

So, I think I've said everything I needed to. 

 I'll see you guys there! 

Thank you.

xoxoxo