Path To Retaliation (Fighter's Den, #2)

Author's Note

Spill the tea, sis...

I'd like to use this portion of my novel to talk about what a difficult journey I went through while writing Cameron and Avery's story.

If you take a look at the dedications at the beginning, I've listed a group of friends who encouraged me to write and get out there. This fact still remains true and for that I will always, always be thankful. But some relationships in life just aren't meant to be and that's okay. It's a lesson that took me a while to both understand and accept and I struggled to get to where I am now. Although I am no longer friends with the group I mentioned in my dedications, I don't hold any hatred or resentment towards them. I like to think Cameron and Avery taught me that. These two beautiful characters were the epitome of forgiving and finding yourself and I was inspired to be just like them.

That year long hiatus I took while writing PTR 2? Yeah, it was a crappy year.

Decade long friendships fell apart, the man I deeply loved betrayed me, and all of the drama in my life reflected poorly on my school and home life. My grades took one hell of a hit and I was consistently mad at my family members even though they didn't do anything wrong. Why am I telling you all this? I not only feel the need to explain to my dedicated readers why I took my time with this story, but I want you to know that even the authors that write about happily ever afters don't always get their own. That's life. That's real. Everyone struggles and most of the time, we hide it too. I want you all to know there's nothing wrong with that. I know we all love to read about perfect characters and their perfect lives but real life doesn't work that way. That's why I tried to make Cameron and Avery's story as realistic as possible when I came back to it. That's why I insisted my characters grow as individuals before coming together.

Because the only goal greater than finding the love of your life is finding yourself.

I urge you to please, please, find yourself. Take a break from toxic friendships. Step back from toxic relationships. Prioritize yourself. You are important. Your are loved. Your worth is immeasurable. You come first. If something is weighing you down, ask yourself if that weight is worth carrying. Ask yourself if it's your weight to carry in the first place. Don't take on burdens that aren't yours to bear. Don't succumb to the darkness of the world and drown in it. I promise my loves, there is so much light out there if you only know where to look. You'll find it in the people that make you happy. You'll find it in the things that make you happy. You'll find it when simply being in its presence makes you...well...happy. Never stop seeking out happiness. You deserve it. I promise, you do. And if you ever feel like you don't and if you ever feel like you are drowning in sadness, you are more than welcome to reach out to me. I mean that with all of my heart.

With that being said, I want to take a moment to thank YOU. Not just my readers in general, but to whoever is reading this, I want to thank YOU specifically. You believed in me. You urged my talent. If you're here, on this page and reading my words, it means you give a damn. So thank you. Thank you for giving a damn about me when I was unable to give a damn about myself.

Thank you to my best friend, my anchor in life, for getting me through some of the darkest moments I've faced. Thank you for sticking by my side for 16 years and counting and not letting the darkness swallow me whole. Thank you for being my sunshine and reminding me what it's like to bask in the light. I have lost more people in my life than I care to admit but at the end of the I'm okay and that's because I still have you. You've always been my biggest fan and supporter. You've always pushed me to chase my dreams. You've always believed me. Time and time again you've shown me what it means to be truly loved. You will forever be my soulmate and I'm so lucky to have you.

Thank you to the friends I've made on this platform that are always checking up on me. Thank you for messaging me everyday and giving me encouraging feedback about my story or just making sure I'm okay in general.

Thank you to the talented woman itsmyaah who creates the most kickass covers for my stories. She's truly one of the bests — she asks for your input, talks through ideas with you, and delivers the exact vision you have in mind. If I ever publish my stories outside of Wattpad, you are officially hired as my cover illustrator.

And lastly, thank you to myself. Thank you for not giving up on your passion. Thank you for believing your stories are good enough and deserve to be told. Thank you for doing what makes you happy.

Whew, I'm a little teary-eyed writing this but I truly wanted to give you all the raw and honest truth about myself. I hope my words have somehow resonated with you all. As an author, that's all I could hope for.

Now, I don't know about you guys but I'm ready to kick ass with book three and write the best book of my life. I look forward to meeting all of you there and seeing the comments and votes of some of my most dedicated readers. PTR 3, Here we come!

Please read on for the cover/synopsis/release date for book 3!