AlleyB255

Submitted for the Wattys. This year, the banner appeared without any issues. I didn't have to spend half of July clearing my cache to make it show up.
          Last year, the focus was on Immediate - Engaging - Commercial. This year, it's Hook - Goals - Motivation - Conflict. They made me think of my own goal and motivation in writing. Publication, fame, winning contests, praise?
          Not really, because I have none LOL. What keeps me hooked is the puzzles every contest gives us. Figuring out how to solve them is so much fun.

I used to be desperate for any comment on my books, so desperate that even when I knew certain comments were too well-formatted and posted too simultaneously to be from a human, I'd lie to myself and return the "kindness." I told myself I should just be grateful someone took the effort to copy and paste those comments. 
          But now, seeing the social feeds stuffed with those long, thoughtful, emdash-heavy comments, posted by the same account across a dozen books in under five minutes, I doubt they actually read those chapters. I can't type an emdash directly into a comment section from my phone or laptop, let alone fire them off in seconds. 
          I'm sorry to say that, while I still appreciate the "real" support, I'm not as eager to respond to it as I used to be. On the other hand, people who spend their time reading and typing out every letter of their thoughts are rare, true treasures. I'm grateful to them now more than ever.

A pity that the announcements aren't showing on notification like before. But if you happen to see this, It'd be wonderful. My very first interview with Ambassadors: https://www.wattpad.com/1618450675-interviews-alleyb255  Feel free to take a look. It's very short because I actually didn't expect it to be published, and I replied in a hurry while being busy with ONC.

Reflected in Shards made the ONC Longlist.
          I didn't dare expect this. I'm lucky just to be here, and this may be as far as I go.
          The list feels quieter and colder now. I miss the hustle and bustle. I miss seeing the familiar names of authors I genuinely believed would advance. Their stories have already proven their quality through their stats, readership, and the many achievements shining on their profiles.
          The only theory I can think of is they didn't have enough time and energy to invest in their entries before submission. But no contest result can change the value of those hard works.
          I hope we continue trusting ourselves. That's what joining contests is really about. To keep writing, keep reading, and have fun.

Balcony of Heaven Chapter 43 & 44 (End): https://www.wattpad.com/1640002099 
          
          "So I came to understand this. I wasn't brought into this world to suffer misfortune. I was brought here to discover what misfortune really meant."
          
          Thanks, Hope, for realizing why created you. 
          Thank you all for coming this far with me or even just stopping by. See you in my next writing cycle. (♥´∀｀)／

Balcony of Heaven Chapter 41 & 42 https://www.wattpad.com/1638620439
          
          “So that’s her.” Helen, a receptionist and one of the Archives administrators, sat across from him beyond the bars, laptop open.
          “The saintliest soul that turned vengeful with a single thought?” She glanced up, her hands hovering over the keyboard.
          
          “A single thought?” Zekiel let out a dry laugh. “Is that all that’s left of the story?”
          He wiped at his eyes with his cuffed hands. “No one turns because of a thought. We change little by little.” His smile died. “Without anyone noticing.”
          He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Including ourselves.”

Balcony of Heaven Chapter 40 - The Eden: https://www.wattpad.com/1637224986
          (Holy Sheet my deadline is near.)
          
          Aaron stepped onto the center of the vast floor. His gaze lingered on the balcony. At first glance, the architecture resembled an extravagant luxury hotel.
          But to anyone from the BOH, it felt disturbingly familiar.
          
          “What do you think?”
          Brian Moreau appeared on the balcony like a gracious host.
          “Feels like home, doesn’t it?”

My book Reflected in Shards, one of the victims of the Google Play Books mass piracy, was taken down after my DMCA report. The dirt-cheap sale price of $0.50 is gone, but the 40-page preview is still there, along with their so-called metadata information. I also saw many other stories published and sold there since 2022, including some Amby Award-winning books, at the same dirt-cheap price. For writers, especially those looking to publish their work professionally, this is an issue that really needs attention.

Hey, not sure if you're aware but your story is pirated on Google Play Books. Just search your username there and you'll find it. 

Hiii