Hi, I'm the author, so I'm biased. :)
I can’t believe I can actually say this: I WROTE A WHOLE BOOK SERIES! WOW! When I started this series back in 2017, I never imagined that it would launch my author career. I also never imagined that I’d complete a project as huge as this. I’ve found a life-long passion to pursue, and I hope to have a long career of writing and publishing books.
So without further ado, here is my non-spoiler assessment of the final book in The Hollis Timewire Series <3 Here are the things I'm particularly proud of:
1. Arthur Evandrum. He is truly one of the best villains out there. I HATE him with every fiber of my being, and I hope everyone who reads TEO hates him too. He was so much fun to write! It was kinda crazy how much freedom I had to be evil with him (should I be concerned about my own mental health? Maybe, lol). I'm intimidated by whatever villain I'm going to try and write next, because I don't know how I'm going to top him!
2. CH 21 (iykyk). That chapter took me a year to plan (because I had to map it out while I was writing The Pure Ones). It took me a full day to outline, five days to draft, and another four days to revise after I got notes back from my husband & my CP. I am DAMN proud of it! The reveals! The pacing! The shock value. All of CH 21 is *chefs kiss* (and it's the longest CH of my writing career so far, sitting pretty at 9,583 words)
3. Hollis's character growth. Looking back at how brainwashed and blinded she was in The Diseased Ones (Book 1) and how much she's changed and what she had to fight to become by the time we get through The Empowered Ones (Book 4) is AMAZING. Hollis's story is so near and dear to my heart. It took me 7 years to write this series, so I grew up with Hollis. We have changed together. <3
4. CH 32 (iykyk). In terms of the stakes, they couldn't get ANY higher. I wanted to write something that felt so desperately hopeless, like there was absolutely NO way out. This chapter leads into the finale of the whole series, and it was absolutely everything I hoped it would be! I can't tell you how much time I spent imagining THIS SCENE in my mind before I finally got to write it. It absolutely crushed my heart. I couldn't breathe while I drafted it. It broke me down in a way not many other scenes have.
5. Maddy. All I'm going to say is that his story arc through all four books (to me) is just as compelling as Hollis's. I love his character. He will always hold a special place in my heart. Sweet little Maddy. The boy with the golden light<3
6. Ashton Teel! I had the BEST TIME writing with him in TEO. For all the Ashton fans out there, this is the book I promised you. I hope you love his story arc as much as I do.
7. Keith & Hollis's relationship. TEO took on a life of it's own with those two. I've always enjoyed Keith's cinnamon roll character in previous books, but in TEO, he got to play a much more active role. I fell in love with him just as much as Hollis did. There are some sweet and tender moments between Keith & Hollis, but there are also moments that will steal the BREATH from your lungs! It makes me happy that so many readers have enjoyed their steady relationship through the series. I love everything about them, especially in TEO.
8. Wren Zayla. For a new character, I'm shocked at the depth and complexity of her character arc in the span of one book. I'm proud of what I was able to accomplish with her.
9. Jonah!<3 I love Jonah. He has consistently been one of my favorite characters throughout the series. He was my Christ figure in so many amazing scenes along the way. In TEO, it was interesting transitioning him out of the mentor/teacher role. Hollis was on her own. Jonah taught her so much in previous books, but in TEO, she had to be her own person. And it was beautiful thing to write.
10. CH 38... I have cried at my keyboard before. I cried writing each book in this series, but THIS scene shattered me. I had to stop writing it several times in the drafting stage because I couldn't see past my tears. I don't even know how to communicate what this scene took from me. It was probably one of the most raw things I've ever written for a number of reasons.
11. The tension & stakes of TEO. If you felt like you couldn't BREATHE reading this book, GOOD! If you had to put the book down over and over again because you couldn't handle the stress, GOOD! If you wanted to reach into the pages and strangle Arthur or if you sobbed your eyes out or if you cheered aloud or if your heart was beating wildly in your chest, GOOD! I threw everything I had into this. They say write the book you want to read. Well? I LOVE books like this! I hope you can't catch your breath ;)
And with that, Hollis Timewire’s story closes. It might seem strange for me to thank a character who I made up, but these characters have become my family, so here goes:
Hollis, thank you for what you gave me. Writing your story was always something I could fall back on when life got crazy or when I felt down. You were with me through my teaching career, through Covid, and through having a baby. I can’t believe I have to say goodbye to you. Your story will always hold a special place in my heart, and through the years, as I grow older, I will definitely re-read these books. Only other storytellers will fully understand me when I say this but… you’ve become a dear friend, and I will cherish all that we went through together on the page. Goodbye, friend. I’m never going to forget you. <3
I'll end with the quote that started The Diseased Ones:
"The world will tell you that your ability to feel things deeply, your sensitivity, and your empathy is a weakness. It is not. It is a superpower. And the world needs more of it." - Melissa Webb