stella

Hi author, I just wanted to check on you how are you? I hope you feeling better

hey guys!
          
          i don’t know why this keeps happening, but ever since february rolled around, i’ve been getting sick constantly. i’ve always been a bit sickly to begin with, but this month feels different from anything i’ve dealt with before. i’ll feel fine one day, then suddenly get extremely unwell—so bad that it lasts for an entire week—only for it to disappear for a day or two before coming back again. i honestly thought i’d finally be better this week after dealing with this for two straight weeks, but nope… i ended up feeling awful again just three days ago. maybe it’s the flu season or something?
          
          that said, i’m able to post this now because i think i’ve finally recovered (hopefully for real this time). i’m going to take advantage of that and start drafting chapter 13 of strawberries and cigarettes again.
          
          really hoping no more sickness comes my way and that this feeling of being okay lasts long enough for me to actually write more.

hello everyone!
          
          i've scheduled an update for chapter 12 of strawberries and cigarettes this morning.
          
          i sincerely apologize for taking such a long time to update. i know i previously said i was planning to post last december, but the holidays came, and along with them came countless festivities and obligations that i had to participate in. while i was able to pick up some pace in the early weeks of january, i have to admit that this was one of the most difficult chapters to write so far. not only did it barely feature jeonghan (only brief mentions)—which, to be honest, didn’t give me much motivation, since having him in chapters always improves my mood lmao—but it also contained sensitive dialogue and emotionally charged scenes that i had to approach thoughtfully.
          
          SPOILERS AHEAD!
          
          maybe i’ve been putting off finishing this chapter because it hits close to home. putting into words the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of being a middle child was extremely difficult for me. i even had to pause often because i couldn’t help but cry, hahaha! i also found myself stuck on figuring out exactly how seokmin should console nari, since i’ve personally never received much consolation in situations like this myself. it required careful thought and reflection to write convincingly.
          
          i also made sure to add nuance and depth to nari’s sister, naeun. i didn’t want her to feel two-dimensional or purely antagonistic. i wanted her to feel layered and human—especially since she’s such an important figure in nari’s life and development. i tried to convey what it feels like to be both an eldest daughter and a middle child, to reflect their sibling dynamic in a way that feels authentic.
          
          though i can’t say i fully succeeded—especially with naeun, since i don’t have firsthand experience as an eldest child—i poured my time and effort into making them feel realistic and relatable. my goal has always been for you to see yourselves in these characters.

another quick status update for y’all: i’m doing one final pass on the chapter before posting. an update should be up within the week, hehehe! 

dropping a quick status update: i’ve pulled some serious all-nighters over the past few days (and i mean serious—the sleep deprivation is honestly getting a little unhealthy hahaha!) just to finish drafting chapter 12 of strawberries and cigarettes.
          
          i’ll be moving on to the editing and proofreading phase from here. hopefully, i can get through it quickly so i can post an update as soon as possible. wish me luck!

Hii author, happy new year!! I hope you are doing well I just wanted to ask if we are going to get the next chapter soon? 

hello everyone!
          
          i sincerely apologize for not being able to post an announcement—or update you on my progress—earlier or more often. the past few weeks have been incredibly busy, and as i mentioned before, i’ve been out of town almost constantly, which made it difficult to write as much as i wanted or planned to. i was even away the day before yesterday, and i was so drained the following day that i decided to treat it as a rest day. today, however, i’m finally picking up the pace again.
          
          i did manage to write a few thousand words here and there during breaks whenever i could. while my progress has been slow, i truly hope you all understand. i’ll be traveling again sometime next week, but starting today, i’ll be focusing on finishing chapter 12 of strawberries and cigarettes. with any luck, i’m hoping to have a new chapter out by the week of christmas at the earliest.
          
          i’m doing my best to get this done as quickly—but also as polished—as possible, and i’m once again asking for your patience 
          
          before i end this, i just want to say a huge thank you to all my old and new readers. the sudden influx of love and support i’ve been receiving for my work does not go unnoticed, and i appreciate each and every one of you more than i can put into words ❤️ every notification i receive genuinely brightens my day and motivates me to work harder.
          
          i love you all! 

Hi, I hope you are doing well, are we going to get the next chapter soon? Btw there is no rush take your time because I know you will deliver excellent chapters with your amazing writing. 

hello everyone!
          
          just dropping a quick update to let you guys know that i’m currently refining the outline for chapter 12 of strawberries and cigarettes whenever i have spare time. if i manage to finish it early, i plan to start drafting the chapter over the coming weekends and into next week—basically whenever i can squeeze in a moment before i head out of town again. i’m aiming to get a chapter out before the month ends, or by early december at the latest.
          
          time is flying so fast that i didn’t even realize we’re already nearing december… which now makes me question whether that goal i mentioned before—posting 2–3 chapters before the year ends—was ever realistic, hahaha! maybe i should’ve aimed for 1–2 chapters instead, since that sounds much more achievable.
          
          anyways, i hope you all have a great day ahead!

to everyone in the philippines—especially those in cebu and other parts of the visayas—currently affected by the typhoon, i hope you and your loved ones are safe and well. sending you all my love, prayers, and strength. please take care!