Free to Love - A Zelda x Link Fanfiction

LXXV: Author's Note

Dear reader(s),

Thank you. I hope you enjoyed this book because, oh man, it's been a journey. This book has been a roller coaster for me, in terms of creativity and motivation, so thank you for sticking with me through it. I've taken various hiatuses, breaks, rewritten things, and I know how difficult it is to sit still and wait for a writer to get back on their feet. I appreciate everybody who has come to this point, especially because I know some of you guys have been here since the very, very beginning, and stuck with me through all of it. I appreciate everybody who has taken the time to get to this point, whether you've read this after it's all been published, or whether you've been here from the beginning. Thank you, I really mean it.

I know most of you don't actually know who I am. You may have read my little notes at the bottom, so allow me to introduce myself. Hello. My name is Jane. I'm 18 (as of the end of 2020). I'm a writer (as a hobby), with a soft spot for game characters, but also video games in general. The Zelda series is my favorite game series, and I won't lie about the fact that I partially think it's due to nostalgia. I used to watch my dad play video games, and that was what brought me into my love for them. My dad sometimes let me play Ocarina of Time, and made me promise not to die. Since I was me... I immediately proceeded to do something stupid and die. I am still very good at killing characters in video games, if you're wondering.

This book has been a lot for me. I never imagined the book would become as large as it has grown. The amount of support I receive is just absolutely flabbergasting. I find it hard to believe that so many of you have such an interest in my writing, so much so that you comment and tell me, or even message me. You've helped me through rough times with your kind words, even though none of you probably knew it at the time. So thank you.

On the other hand, there are some negative experiences I've had. You may remember the long hiatus I took. I burnt out. I'm not proud of it, but my motivation absolutely shut down. I've always had a problem with following through with projects, whether it's writing or art, so I'm still not surprised that I did so. I'm working on following through with my projects, I promise. I want to thank everyone for being patient with me.

Now, I wanted to discuss something very important in my rendition to the story. You're probably asking why Link died. Why did I kill him off? Especially because his death is not canonical. I have a simple answer, albeit it's based on my personal preference. I never like books that end predictably. I can always assume the good guys win and, when they don't, it's so jarring. I don't have a vendetta against happy endings. I have a vendetta against predictable story telling.

That's all I can really say, honestly. This book had been amazing and, I know I've been doing it repetitively, but honestly, thank you. I'm not very good with putting my own thoughts into words (and yes, I recognize the irony), but I hope you can understand the gratitude I have for you. Thank you for the support, and thank you for the everything.

I don't intend to disappear form this app. Maybe you could suggest other things I could write about. But for now, I guess this is it. I'll see you all in 2021.

Love,

Jane

P.S. I know the author's note wouldn't be considered a chapter, but the fact that the book didn't end on a multiple of five was bugging me.