It takes a lot of time and effort to pull together feature-length novels while working both full-time and part-time between two hospitals, and I would never have gotten this far without a whole crew of amazing Nephilim behind me. I don't know how you've managed to put up with me, but here's to you!

<Lifts glass in salute>

The best place to start is at the beginning, and that means with the Quiz Up gang in the Shadowhunter Chronicles category. Downloading that app was the first step along my path to get to where I am now. Battling my way up the board as Sebastian Morgenstern was (and still is) one of the cheapest thrills I have access to, as I love playing against the veterans and terrifying the newcomers. Although it amuses me (for the RP value) to see players throw down their arms and surrender when they unexpectedly find themselves matched against me, fac fortia et patere – I'm almost always playing distracted. Test your luck!

You guys were my first readers, and I still remember having a heart attack when PotC crossed the 100-view mark. I never thought it would see the light of day, and I couldn't believe people actually wanted to read my story. (I legit thought it was pity views – still do! XD) Without you guys, I never would have had the confidence and courage to get this out.

Shout-outs to some very excellent and loyal readers who made the leap of faith from QU to Wattpad:

Lunaveon
Stealthviper
DemonHuntingDemigod
DawnOwen6
notsoamazingjace
Archangel11
crystalliize
lawnchaircrisis
Tessa_Morgenstern
AnaMorgenstern1
Cecilyheronworm
Nephilim_Riptide75
@Catherine_Carstairs
geNIusHerondale
Shrumshine
purexcess
Ishani_Lighthallow
VivianLin383
CoraluvMalecForever
SharonHerondale
AdeleMorgenstern
Alayna1203

Also to Lady Ariel and Kookiez – I'm not sure if I've just completely forgotten your Wattpad usernames, already tagged them, or if they have been changed/deleted. And of course, Beccimon, this is also dedicated to all the red pandas roaming the earth doing panda things :D

If you're a Quiz Upper and I missed you, it's entirely unintentional – comment or PM and I will edit this to include you. Wattpadders should have the pleasure of connecting with the greatest TMI fanboys/fangirls out there.

To some memorable new faces, it's been a pleasure interacting with you:

BeatrixOlderdarkness At long last, someone who cares for Seb as much as I.

Wordsmith-Rain - Because I think we share a similar sense of humour.

city_of_ducks - Dat username. Kills me every time.

To Lostlaurab and al_oh_om_ora for giving PotC a shout out on Instagram: I appreciate the support outside of Wattpad – increasing visibility is such a gift, and I thank you for doing it! I've had some love from IG account @sexyshadowhuntermen as well, not to mention a steady diet of delectable inspiration. If you are on IG, you need to be following that account. Other Instagrammers will find me @your.morning.star and be quietly amused that I haven't managed to post anything there yet. Emma is still teaching me how to Internet. I am an epic lurker, but feel free to tag me – I always follow up.

Silent-Aoi - for paradoxically being quieter than a ninja and fan-girl-freaking-out with me.

I am blessed with many excellent commentators, including:

ImKindOfTwisted - Outstanding top commenter, probably for volume AND quality. I literally drop everything I'm going once you pop your first comment on a chapter so that I can read along with you in real time for your reactions. So perfect – literally makes my day. XD

StuckInMyFangirlLife

beautifulrenegade

mriaherondale29

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to leave a comment – they are a huge boost for morale when I'm trying to find the willpower to keep slugging away at this. I truly appreciate it.

And last, but certainly never, ever, least – my dedicated pre-readers:

Parabatai1046 - Your unflagging encouragement and commitment to resurrecting me from couch-death day in and day out outstrips even Lilith's efforts to raise me. Therefore, it could be inferred that you exceed in power a Greater Demon of the Abyss :D Thanks for providing an unbiased set of eyes for each new chapter and helping to bring this story to my readers on a much better schedule than I would have done alone.

Tara_xxx - Because every writer needs someone who will call them an idiot without the slightest hesitation. If Parabatai1046 offers carrots, you most certainly wield the proverbial stick. A big one. You call me out on my bullshit and force me to explain in great, painstaking detail what the hell I'm thinking. For those few instances when I just didn't have answers, you made me sit down and figure it out. Sometimes it took days before I found the proper path, but it was always worth it. You are also the one who Names All The Things, and for that, I'm grateful (since, according to you, I suck at it). Thanks for keeping me humble, honest, and slightly frightened of my IG notifications.

Which brings us to the very best part of starting this adventure: EmaMorgenstern

Are there even words for this? 

<Shakes dictionary upside down> 

"Nitwit! Oddment! Blubber! Tweak!" 

No, no, no! Not those words! 

Emma shyly sent me the original rendition of the cover for PotC in April 2016 and it began a wonderful partnership that is so fulfilling on so many levels that it has literally made my life better in every way. When we are both working in tandem, I with my writing and Emma with her editing, the energy that burns across the ocean separating us is a tangible thing. We get into a helpless feedback loop of creativity that leaves us drunk on the characters we are bringing to life and high on a world in which we should have been born. She produces all of these stunning edits on her own, non-existent free time, which shouldn't even be possible because she works even more than I do (Emma has mastered surviving without sleep; I can't hope to match her in that yet). If ever anyone has lived by this, it's you: Aut invenium viam aut faciam. It's an honour and a privilege to work with you, and I will never be able to understand why you even talk to me. I may have taught you to have faith, but you showed me how to live for more.

Finally, to you, the reader, without whom these stories would simply sit on my hard drive. I understand that these are full-length books (PotC and Eotc are, respectively, roughly on par with CoA and Clockwork Prince), and I appreciate you taking the time to dive in. It's no small commitment, and I'm glad you came along for the ride.

Many of you have messaged me for advice for writing, and I always respond. I'm by no means a professional, but I do what I can when I can.   I want to leave you with this story and one final piece of advice:

I used to write when I was 11 or 12 (by hand, haha, I didn't even have a computer back then). I loved it. Was my writing good? Um... probably not. Ideas: yes; execution: no. Yes, I still remember them well enough to judge from my adult point of view. I kept a binder full of them and then started a second one when the first started wheezing to breathe. Some idiots at school stole my binders out of my desk, lifted some stories, and circulated them through the class. I was absolutely mortified. Everyone read them. Girls, boys, friends, and enemies. I was absolutely devastated. I kept the binders at home, where my mother found them and promptly began mocking the titles (she was not even someone who read books, so I don't know why I let that crush me, but I was young, and it did).

After that, I took those binders and heaved them into a backyard barrel fire (btw, binders stink if you burn them – don't do that, just burn the pages). I gave up writing cold turkey. My parents told me to stop being an idiot and focus on doing something that was worth a damn. So I did. Now I'm 30, married with a house and a career, and I've finally made it back to my first true love: the written word. Because if reading was an escape and my bookshelf was crammed full of my best friends, what could possibly be better than creating my own?

The moral of this otherwise demoralizing story is to never give up hope. "Never," can mean "Not right now." People are going to tell you that your stories suck, and you might even listen to them. But even if your stories aren't happening for you right now, the opportunity isn't gone for good. Be an idiot. Write like nobody is reading. In the end, it's for you. Whether you do it for the therapeutic value of getting things off your chest, for the thrill of living in other worlds, or for the challenge of simply creating something new, you have to do it for yourself. Not all paths are straight and easy, but don't be afraid of the long, winding ones. You are a mortal instrument, and yours is the song of Heaven. Write your own music and be true to yourself.

Have faith.

You don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.