Writing has been a part of my life since the early 2000s, when I first discovered fanfiction and spent countless hours exploring the worlds of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Star Trek, True Blood, and 28 Days Later. What began as a hobby grew into a creative outlet that followed me through the years, resulting in several completed works, a handful of nearly finished manuscripts, and a small but cherished following on Wattpad.

Life, however, has a way of changing our plans. For many years, much of my time and energy was devoted to caregiving, leaving less room for writing. After the loss of a loved one, grief made it difficult to focus and even harder to find the joy in storytelling that had once come so naturally. For a long while, my unfinished stories remained just that—unfinished.

As I approach a significant middle-aged milestone, I found myself thinking of Harrison Winslow from Heart and Souls and realizing I didn't want to spend my time hesitating, second-guessing, or wondering "what if." The lack of a beta reader or proofreader often felt like one more reason to wait, but eventually I decided that waiting for perfect was keeping me from finished. Whatever mistakes remain, I know I gave this work my best effort. There can always be another edition.

So here I am, finally taking the leap—not for sales or accolades, but for the satisfaction of accomplishing something that has been calling to me for years.

Thank you for taking a chance on my stories. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed bringing them to life.

— Mae Morreux