Hey there my one-and-onlys,
Before anything else, It imperative that I address a very important issue here on Wattpad today, and that issue is called Suicide. (W A R N I N G: SPOILER ALERT for THE EXPLORER'S APPRENTICE)
As some of you may know, the Explorer's Apprentice was written three years ago buy authors between the ages of twelve and fourteen, and while that is no excuse for its extremely upsetting ending, it is the truth. It was written at a time in my life when I was still a child (well, I mean, I'm still a child NOW...but more childish than I currently am) and had very little life experience or knowledge when it came to heavy real-life issues, such as suicide.
Suicide is not something to be taken lightly, and it is not something that should end a book simply because it is "sadder" and "more dramatic" that way. The message that TEA's ending sends out--that if things don't work out for you, if the boy doesn't fall in love with you, then you should just *kill yourself*--the idea that one's life should revolve around one person and one person only-- is vile and incredibly juvenile, and I send out my most extreme apologies for that. My goal as a writer NOW is to create strong, relatable, and at times admirable characters who inspire my readers that battles can battles can be conquered, and that one can lead a successful and happy life, even when things do not go as planned. I want my characters to demonstrate hope and strength even through trials, and I want my readers to understand that there is more to life than boys, or girls, or being in a relationship. (continued in next block)