Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

Author's Note: Questions, Facts, and Thank Yous

"Rune Mage" is a fantasy adventure born for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) 2016. I completed 50k by the end of that month and, with the aid of two lots of subsequent Camp NaNos at 25k each, the story is finally completed on 27th July 2017 at 198k words.

Thank Yous

First thanks goes to seventhstar for her gorgeous cover, endless encouragements about my writing, and general awesomeness. I can't wait till her book gets published and I can get my own copy <3

Second thanks goes to these amazing people who I just love and appreciate oh so much: Vainel for the running commentary and questions to help me flesh out the histories;  Captainsarcastic101 and andgar98 for the smart speculations that allow me to spice up the story even more; kamtron for helping me flesh out the mechanisms behind my magic; VigneshR6, TheMistborn, Crisohana, thesilentshadow, Jarinrifa04, PetyrDahl, unreallyreal, bluepins, ASYSHL, ravensky777, angel7252, teathedevillel, Kevohkish,  ImaraofNeona for all your support and comments and screaming at me when I kill my characters; Nadia Krogsgaard for basically reading my year's work in two days and then screeching at me about the Big Reveals; LeonBrooke6 for having medical concerns about my characters' injuries.

Not quite sure how I can express my love for you guys for being with me, commenting your support from the start to the end, but you guys are awesome, seriously, like oh my gosh I want to hug every one of you.

And my last thanks to all the readers who voted and commented throughout my journey. You've all helped me shape who Seiren became and how the story ended (you've no idea how many times the story got replotted when people asked me questions and poked at my plot holes) -- thank you.

What is the inspiration for the story?

For those who didn't spot it right away from the tags and references, it's Fullmetal Alchemist. Possibly one of my favourite manga/animes, tied with Death Note. Brotherhood is better, obviously, and subs all the way, but FMA dubbed is also pretty awesome. Rune Mage was heavily influenced by FMA, but the way I wanted FMA to be: a kick-ass heroine that is borderline likeable (if that), multiple kickass female characters, morally grey everybody, and a few nutters that make the bad people seem less bad (looking at you, Portendorfer).

The story had taken quite a fair few turns along the way with the readers helping me shape what made it actually better than my initial plotting. Kristen was always the baddie, but I hadn't banked on Kommora triumphing in catching her or Seiren in removing her powers. Kommora evolved to be a bigger kickass, physically, than I had intended; delivering savage burns had always been part of her character, however. Tylene was meant to be the one Madeleine revives into, having jumped in and taken the blast for him against Karis Bonneville's organic magic. Well, we know what happened to Tylene, after all. Maura's death fitted in that I wanted Rowan to have redeemed himself in her eyes and also for her to forgive herself and her brother at last; it was probably my saddest death (except maybe for Loren), but Maura finally put her own wants above her unyielding philosophy of 'for the greater good' for once.