Mirrors (Reflections Book 1)
Page 30
Try as I may to ignore them, they weren’t having it. In retaliation for trying to drown their voices out, Sean and Raquel stopped communicating, too. Now, I know this sounds a tad ridiculous, because surely how can fictional characters try to derail your outline… but let me tell you, when you try to control your art, your art gives you a big ol’ fuck you. My characters are real to me, I feel their presence in every facet of my life. It was within their right to tell me to shove it up my ass until I was ready to give them what they demanded.
So, I did what the little voices in my head wanted me to do–I let go of the reins and let them lead me on their journey. In hindsight, I’m sure I could have written you a condensed version of Mirrors that encapsulated the beginning, middle and end just as I intended–but to do so would have meant to be cheating these characters, and you, the reader, out of what you and they deserve.
Writing this novel and the subsequent novels in this trilogy has been an arduous labor of love. I adore these characters and this world more than I ever could have imagined, and I want nothing more than to remain as authentic as possible. (Also, my editor strongly discouraged me from trying to ship a two-hundred-and-sixty-eight-thousand book to the printer, so we can give her a head nod in thanks for that.)
So, what’s next? Shattered is book two in the Reflections trilogy and I am tentatively shooting for a December 31st, 2020 publication date. The last novel, Awake, I am hoping to have released for early 2021.
I hope this note will encourage you to lower your pitchforks and call off the cavalcade. In the meantime, I invite you to hang out with me on social media or sign up for my newsletter–I’m sure you’ll get glimpses of Shattered before release day. (Also, I have an adorable dog, and she is the genuine star of my accounts–no bullshit.)
Thank you so much for giving me your time, I hope I’ll catch you in the next book, too.
Acknowledgments
It will come as a surprise to no one that writing a book is hard. It is a brutal and intense labor of love filled with sacrifices, an uptick of caffeine consumption, and many early, sleep-deprived mornings.
But it is my passion. It is the beat in my heart, the pulse in my bloodstream, and the song in my soul that keeps me going even when I wanted to give up.
I’ve been grappling with Sean and Raquel for much longer than I care to admit–seven years to be exact. Seven years of plot ideas, of character development, and world building.
Sean and Raquel are not the first characters to populate in my mind. They are, however, the ones who taught me the most about writing, about trusting the inner voice, and to never–and I mean never–try to tell your characters what to do. They’ve got teeth and aren’t afraid to use them.
While this is book one in a trilogy, please know that each book carries a sliver of me within its pages and it was all made possible because of these individuals who deserve to be recognized.
First and foremost, you, the reader–thank you for taking a chance on another indie author trying to make her mark on the world. Thank you for giving me your time, a place on your bookshelf, and the real estate on your eReader. I do not take this honor lightly.
MAR–I cannot thank you enough for letting me keep you up till the wee hours of the morning so I could run ideas by you–many of which never came to fruition. Your respect of my time, my need to create, and understanding that I have more conversations in my head with fictional characters in a day than I do with you is a level of unwavering support that I never thought capable. Thank you for keeping the Nibs flowing and for helping me realize that this was meant to be a trilogy! (LOL, there I admitted it. You have your proof in writing–are you happy?!)
My brother, JP–whose admiration I am utterly undeserving of. Thank you for being my first cheerleader, for believing in me when they wouldn’t. I am who I am today because of you.
ABC–Pãozinha, minha amiga, your creativity and talent are unmatched. Your willingness to go above and beyond, to capture every single detail and nuance and applying it in the creative assets of this project has left me overwhelmed and emotional. Your gift to see the big picture and inject color into things fills me with so much joy.
HF–where would I be without you, Ham? You’ve read a lot of my earliest work–most of which was offensively bad–but you never complained and encouraged me to keep going. Thank you for giving me the confidence to stand out amongst the crowd in my formative years, for pushing me to always be the best version of myself.
LCR–I can say with confidence that you are the leader of the A.L. Woods fan club. Thank you for teaching me the true meaning of what being a Nakama is, for your endless support, and for understanding when I need good cop and bad cop.
My editor, BLU–without you, this book would still be one long-winded mess laden with Canadian spelling and comma abuse. Thank you for your keen eye and guidance to get me to the crux of what I’m trying to convey.
KN–who allowed me to bounce ideas off of her brain while I was in the early stages of the rewrite of this book and borrow her last name for Maria’s law firm.
SD–without your help, I’d still be mulling over a single line in my book blurb. Thank you for empathizing with me over Snapchat for an entire year.
KJN–for correcting me when I referred to myself as an “aspiring writer.” You saw what I couldn’t back then.
To the friends, family and acquaintances that I may have missed–know that your words, your cheering, and your support has meant so much to me over the years.
To the aspiring authors, the writers who want to hit publish–Do it. There is no better moment than this one to chase your dreams and make them a reality. I believe in you!
About the Author
A.L. Woods is an author of roller coaster romances, caffeine aficionado, and collector of Sailor Moon paraphernalia.
She lives 40 minutes west of Toronto, Ontario with her partner, Michael, and their 8lb larger-than-life miniature dachshund, Maia–whom they lovingly refer to as their ‘doghter.’
Woods can be found holed away in her office writing her next novel with a bowl of Nibs within arm’s reach. When she’s not writing, she’s likely belting out an ad-libbed song, emotionally investing in a fictional bad boy with a strong jawline and fluency in sarcasm or inventing fresh ways to procrastinate.
She believes that burritos should be in their own food group, loves the fall, winged liner, and listening to metalcore at an offensive level.
For photographic evidence of her shenanigans, or cute photos of Maia, follow her on social media.
Website: amandawrites.ca
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