Update (Patreon)

Before I dive into some nitty-gritty, a thank you to you, my Patrons.

Someone pointed out over the weekend that the restaurant Orla purchased for 750 Crests was earning 50 daily. That's unrealistic, as the selling point wouldn't be high enough to compensate for the loss of 50 Crests in profit daily.

I've since modified the chapter in my notes to say it was making 12 Crests daily, meaning the previous owner has more validation in selling it while continuing to have a job. I greatly appreciate you guys helping me keep the story on track.

This may be a fantasy genre, but that doesn't mean the elements of economic reality don't matter. I don't want this to turn into all those other stories we've all read, where something that costs 5 gold in the second chapter now costs 80 bajillion platinum by book 3. So, again, thank you for keeping me on task with the story.

Now onto the bad news.

Over the weekend, I learned some rather terrible information. A student of mine, still in school, was killed. I had a rather special bond with her. It's setting me for a loop, though I picked the school I'm teaching at specifically because I understand the kids who go there. They're me, in the long run, and could use a bit of hope.

I'm not the most emotionally invested person in the world. At the core of QuestWright, my former series, Symphony, and even my two upcoming novels, there's always some manner of hope at the center. In QuestWright, I outright name it, something I built into the background of Symphony but never truly said. In Support Your Local War Mage, the protagonist hopes to find lasting peace. In MetaJoy, the character hopes to save her brother, no matter what it takes.

And here's why this is my consistently recurring theme in my stories.

I was born deaf. Couldn't hear a damn thing until I grew a little older, and an experimental process, now considered common, allowed me to hear. I still hold a 70% hearing loss, though few are aware of it as I've become rather deft at reading lips. It's also why, if you ever met me, I'm incredibly loud. It's just become a part of my personality at this point.

I grew up in a rough neighborhood, less than a street away from an entire gang who'd taken over the apartment building there. Raised in one of the many (surprising to everyone) rough neighborhoods of Santa Barbara, I grew up under the constant threat of danger. In fact, my father's car radio was stolen twice, my dog killed, and someone broke into our house a few times. Most days in elementary, from 1st-3rd (I skipped the second grade), I had to fight for my life. I know that sounds silly for elementary, but it's what happened. Different times, back then.

Then, my father got a massive promotion, we moved to an upper-class neighborhood, and suddenly, I went from being a gifted & talented student to the dumb kid in class. I never knew there was such an educational disparity between elementary schools. My head was also shaved down to nothing, as I'd had a process done to help with something ongoing. Not a great first impression.

Basically, I had no friends until high school, where I met Brandon, Matt, and Jackie, people I'm still friends with to this day. We live all over the place and away from each other, but I try to stay in contact as much as I can. Even if Brandon is often a dick.

I worked hard to catch up, stay ahead, blah blah. Became the VP of the National Honor Society, President of the Chess Club, and Captain of the Football team. I received a letter of intent from USC for football because I was huge (6'3), the second-fastest on my team, and 250lbs of solid muscle. I wanna say I was working out twice a day, every day, and running several miles just to keep my endurance going.

Then I broke my knee.

Goodbye USC. Goodbye college football.

So in the hospital, on two weeks of rest, I came up with a plan. I'm going to become an xray tech, because my father says it'll work for me. If that doesn't work, I'll join the Air Force, as 9/11 occurred during my junior year and profoundly affected me. If that doesn't work, maybe I'll work in a hotel, like I'd seen in the movies. If that doesn't work, I've been reading nonstop, learned that I love fantasy and science fiction, so maybe I'll be an English Teacher, like my old favorite, Mr. Lenker. And if that doesn't work, I could try being an Author.

Well, I did all of that.

I hold four degrees. A.S. in Radiography. A.A. in Radio and Television Broadcasting (U.S.A.F. degree). Dual bachelor's in English and Educational Psychology (also graduated as the Salutatorian with a 4.0). I was an xray tech, then a radio and television broadcaster for the Air Force (after being a manager at Blockbuster), then a night manager at a massive luxury hotel, now a teacher and author.

So all my 16-year-old plans (graduated just after turning 17) are at the end of the road. And still, I have hope for the future. It's built into me.

If this doesn't work, than this, and this, and this. There's always something you can try. Always another way around the bend.

And yet, my student is gone from me. No hope. No bend.

Because of that, I won't be releasing any chapters this week, and I'm taking time off work. It's hitting me pretty fuckin hard, and I need some time to recover. I know how my mind works. I know the circular arguments coming that I have to suppress. It'll pass, as this isn't the first student I've lost in the last six years, and especially not the first person in my life who's died. But I wanted to be upfront with you guys about why I'm not writing this weekend, even if this is almost the length of a chapter.

You're paying customers, and I take that seriously.

So, with all of that said, another thank you from me. Seeing your comments, even your likes, is a nice form of affirmation that what I'm doing is worth it. That it's work worth doing, as Teddy Roosevelt once said. I just need a moment to collect myself, then I'll be back at it.

So I'll see you soon, and I hope you're all doing well.