happy one year of the ties that bind!!
i literally can’t even fathom that it’s been an entire year since i first introduced the world to lilly. i started building this story over a year ago while sitting in the back of an uber in new york city, and now we’re here, 70+ chapters, tens of thousands of words, and a concerning amount of feelings later. i had no idea how much this story would change me, who it would bring into my life, or how deeply it would connect with people.
i started writing this story as a way to make sense of the grief and emotions of growing up, letting go, and moving on. this book has changed me in ways i’m still figuring out. if it’s ever made you feel a little less alone, even for a just a moment, then that’s more than i could’ve ever hoped for.
i didn’t know how much love i could have for these fictional characters that feel all the more real every single day. writing this has been one of the most personal, healing, frustrating, and rewarding things i’ve ever done. thank you for sticking around. thank you for loving lilly like she’s real. and thank you for reading, crying, screaming, and healing with me along the way.
love always,
aspen