Author S. K. Nicholas

I’ve written so many words these past two years. Going through and editing them for ‘Damned Lovers’, I’m struck by the journey I’ve been on, and where it continues to take me. Every day, I write a fresh piece as well as editing older ones ready for publication, not to mention putting in shifts on the novel. The last time I didn’t write anything was July 4th- the day before my 31st birthday. There have been times when I’ve tried to take a night off, but it’s been impossible. At the moment, I’ve got just over three hundred pieces equalling somewhere in the region of one hundred thousand words. Ideally, I’ll get it down to ninety thousand, which means I can lose some of the weaker stuff. In the early days, I wrote about a girl I was in love with who wasn’t in love with me. To think back to those lonely evenings. My words were all for her- every feeling explored on paper in an attempt to win her back. So much has happened since then, and my writing has gone from being a mere tool in a game of kiss chase to being my lifeblood. Providing I don’t die, ‘Damned Lovers’ will land late Autumn 2016. That gives me enough time to make it as strong as it can be. Without you, my dear readers, and the support you have given me, this journey would have ended long ago. With all my heart, I hope to create something special that you enjoy reading. It’s much more than about grabbing a load of pre-existing pieces and throwing them together. I’ve already spent four months editing, and they’ll be several more left before it’s all ready. The cover is done, in my head at least. Some of you who have been following me for a while might remember it from the early days. This isn’t the end of something; it’s merely the beginning. A celebration of awakening, of keeping going at something when the easiest thing would have been to have called it quits. But where would the fun be in that? Failure is beautiful. Delusion vital. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the past couple of years, it’s that there is no destination. It’s all about the footsteps we take. To go with open eyes and heart. Being sad isn’t a weakness, and being lonely isn’t something to be ashamed of. If you handle them right, they can be used as weapons. They can be used to communicate with others who feel the same way. Life hurts, but that’s what makes it so beautiful.