J.K. Rowling has always been my forever role model as a writer. So naturally, when I started taking writing seriously, I wanted to write fantasy. But I knew myself well enough to know that I didn't have the talent needed for world-building on that scale. A world like Harry Potter felt so far beyond where I was, and I knew it. So instead of trying to write something I wasn't ready for, I decided to start small. Fantasy romance felt like the right place to begin. I want to be clear that I don't say that to speak lowly of the genre, not at all. But at the time, I thought it was a lighter entry point into the world of fantasy writing, and that felt right for where I was.
I also made a decision early on not to spend too much time brainstorming or planning. Looking back, I think that was actually the right call for where I was in my journey, because what that book ended up being, more than anything, was a learning experience. Writing a long novel is so different from the short stories and poems I had written before. When the Apple Tree Shines taught me exactly where I fall short, and that clarity is something you can't get any other way.
Now when I read it back, there are moments that make me cringe, because of course there are. It's my first novel, and I can see all the things I want to improve. But that awareness is exactly what pushes me forward. I'm now working on my next novel, and this time my goal is to finish the manuscript and send it to a publisher when it's ready. When the Apple Tree Shines gave me the courage to get here, and I wouldn't be at this point without it. To every reader who enjoyed it, I'm so genuinely grateful.
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