Bonds of the Fallen

Author’s Letter

Dear Reader,

As I sit down to pen this letter to you, the people for whom the world of Bat, Val, Ace, and all their friends were brought to life, I reflect on the journey that has led us to this final page. With a heart brimming with a cocktail of emotions—pride, relief, and gratitude— I reach out to you through these words.

From the initial spark of inspiration that ignited the tale of Bat’s journey into the depths of the night to the intricate dance of fates that bound her to Val and Ace, every word on these pages was infused with a sincere desire to captivate and enchant your imagination. Through the twists and turns of their narrative, your companionship has been the true magic behind this adventure.

While a work of fiction, this book is a mosaic of countless moments of reality—some mine, some borrowed, and some tenderly imagined. It has been a labor of love and obsession, a product of late-night musings and dawn-kissed revelations. The characters you’ve met within these pages, I believe, are not just figments but echoes of the many facets we all carry within us. In Bat’s resilience, Val’s brooding stoicism, and even Ace’s unwavering loyalty, I hope you’ve found fragments of truth that resonate with your own story.

I am indebted to the muses that have danced around me during the creation of this narrative, the books that lay scattered across my desk serving as portals to other worlds, the melodies that filled the air with just the right cadence to write a particularly stubborn scene, and the people in my life who have, knowingly or unknowingly, lent pieces of their spirit to the characters you’ve grown to know.

I extend my deepest thanks to my early adopters, whose keen eyes have smoothed the raw edges of my creation. Your guidance has been the compass by which this tale has navigated the tumultuous seas of creation.

But above all, dear reader, I owe you an incredible debt. Your willingness to immerse yourself in the world I’ve created, to feel the characters’ joys and sorrows as your own, and to walk with them through their darkest and brightest days has given this story its true purpose. Whether you’ve laughed, cried, or even shouted in frustration, your engagement is the greatest gift an author could receive.

As we close this chapter and say farewell, for now, to Bat, Ace, Val, and the world they inhabit, I invite you to carry them with you in whatever way you see fit. They live on in the quiet moments when you recall a line, scene, or feeling this book evoked.

Their stories do not end here. Stay tuned for the upcoming second book in the series.

Thank you for taking this journey with me until we meet again on the pages of another adventure!

With heartfelt thanks and warmest wishes,

J.L. Craven