Release Day - Thoughts

I am so excited. This is what I've been dreaming of for years. Even when I was a kid I wanted to be a writer. I also wanted to be an archaeologist, but that dream kind of faded away. Living in places where I could find ancient artifacts and fossils has helped ease that loss.

My mother encouraged me to write. When I was in third grade I wrote a book about two children, their babysitter, and something in their basement. It was a little too spooky for my teacher and her assistant that found it I ended up in the principal's office being lectured for 'bad thoughts'. My mom came to my rescue when she told the staff off - she used the words 'gifted', 'talented', and 'eccentric'. She and I had our differences, but she pushed me to follow through with my dreams, no matter how dark they were.

Today is an epic day for me. It's the culmination of everything I wanted as a child. It's fulfilling a promise to my mother. To my kids, especially my oldest daughter. I promised to dedicate my first novel to her and her siblings. That's done now - your guys are my own personal apocalypse. All anyone has to do is hang around you guys and their lives are changed.

My mom passed away in 2010, a month before my birthday (October 1, 2010 is the day). I was pregnant with my sixth child. I felt a sense of loss like no other...I didn't get to tell my mom that I forgave her when she was in a coma. That was my plan, but my aunt's cell phone died before I could. While many people believe that there is a hereafter and that people you love 'know' when they pass everything you meant to say, I don't. I am much like my book's main character Layne. I lost my faith long ago.

What means the most to me is that those promises were fulfilled. Even if not a single person enjoys Blood Burn - I did it. I made it. With the support of friends and editor, and publisher- I DID IT. People believed in me and I didn't let them down in this endeavor.

Mom, if you are somewhere out there in some spiritual form or another dimensional plane - thank you for always indulging me in my horror obsession. For the Stephen King books. For letting me read anything I wanted at any age.

There's some people I no longer talk to that were supportive during the process as well. While we had serious issues, know that you did help. Your input meant a lot and if you ever read this, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I'm not usually an emotional sort, so excuse me for being mushy. Thank you all.

-J.E. Fletcher