Hey, guys! We've reached the end here after what feels like forever. I've been posting this story since February 2016, and I've been writing it since June 2015. It's changed dramatically from how it started. First of all, it started off as one book, but it feels like three now.

After I complete every story I write, I like to get some feedback on how to improve the story if I decide to go back and edit or just to know what I could improve on in my writing. The key here is to give constructive criticism, not troll. If you think something is stupid, tell me why it's stupid, not just that it is. I'll appreciate it very much if everyone gave me their opinions in a mature and respectable way. Thank you.

Feedback:

What part of this book caught your attention the most (cover, blurb, tags, title etc.)? Why?

What made you keep reading this book? Why?

Did you like the main characters Kenji and Darian? Why or why not?

Who was your favorite character? Why?

Who was your least favorite character? Why?

What was your favorite scene of the book? Why?

What were some things you liked about this book? Why?

What were some things you disliked about this book? Why?

On a scale from 1-10, what would you rate this book? Why?

Backstory:

This story started off as a "fan fiction" of the first book I ever wrote. A "fan fiction" because I took a lot from that story and changed it up a bit to create Loving a Goon. The original story was called Tainted by the Past, and it was about a Japanese boy named Shiro, who lost all his friends after a prank ended with the death of a popular classmate called Ana Sofia. He finds comfort in Ana Sofia's younger sister Andrea as Ana Sofia's ex-boyfriend Darek and Darek's goons bully him. This is an oversimplified description of that story, but if you read the whole book, you'll definitely be able to see the similarities.

What drew me in was Shiro and Darek's relationship. They hated each other, but a part of me felt this strange tension between them, and my mind started wandering. The original story was about Shiro and Andrea's relationship, but I started thinking about Shiro and Darek in a romantic setting. One thing led to another and Loving a Goon was born. Shiro is now Kenji, Darek is now Darian, Ana Sofia is now Camila, Andrea is now Rosalyn etc. So yes, I pretty much wrote a "fan fiction" of my own story.

I never expected the boys' story to end up like it did. Things happened in ways I didn't expect, but the surprises made writing it even more exciting. I didn't expect for Kenji's depression to come back or for Gyan to make an impression on me. Most of all, I didn't realize that Arya was queer until half way through the story. Now that I know though, everything makes sense. I know a lot of people don't like Arya's character, but she's my favorite character in this whole book. I see so many parts of myself in her. She represents making mistakes and engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors but in the end, she admits she needs help and she gets it. It's so hard to come back from these toxic habits, and Arya does. That's why I admire her. I myself am working on similar habits.

In all honesty, this "fan fiction" holds a special place in my heart. It's like this book wrote itself and just took me along for the ride, and I wouldn't want it any other way. This story has been with me through some of the toughest times of my life. With my mental illness and other crises going on, this book is always something positive in my life. I wish I could have updated more frequently, but I'm glad I was able to enjoy the journey of writing it and then completing it.

I'm going to miss my boys because since I've been writing it for so long, I've almost grown up with them. I may not be the most popular, or best writer, but when I complete a story and miss the characters like they're real people, I know I did well. Hopefully, you guys feel the same way. I'm going to take a little break before I start writing again, but I hope to come back eventually.

Thanks for going on this journey with me and my boys (especially those of you who've been there for years). If you have any questions, just comment and I'll get back at you. Thank you all!

Up next, Loving His Angel, which is Gyan's story!

-October Silver