Dear Readers,

I wanted to take the time to thank you for reading Rivalry on Tour. When I first thought of this story, I was scared to take the leap and begin writing on Wattpad. I was worried that I would fail and no one would read it, and my best friend encouraged me to try it. Since then, I've fallen back in love with writing & reading.

As many of you know, I am a 1L in law school. My days are draining and often leave me feeling stressed and isolated. As much as I love law school and pursuing my professional goals, I neglected by passions and personhood in the process. Writing again has made me a more well rounded and happier person. I genuinely enjoy getting up every day knowing that I can have the best of both worlds in pursuing law and novel writing. While it is just a fun hobby for now, I hope to find the time and ability to publish one day. Never in a million years would I ever dare to dream it or even admit it without the support of all of you!

This story has a special place in my heart. I wanted to write something that I would read — something that was different and true to me. I wanted a story with flawed characters who were sometimes unlikeable, but ultimately redeemable and relatable. As someone who has dealt with addiction in my family, I also wanted a story that addressed these issues realistically as possible from the perspective of someone having to love another plagued by addiction. I've grappled a lot with this theme, and I think it has helped me cope in the process.

Moreover, I wanted the ending to have meaning. It would have been far too easy for Ezra to get sober while on tour and for him and Billie to stay together. More importantly, it would have been extremely unrealistic. Addiction is a crippling disease that takes everything from you, and sometimes love is not enough. That person struggling has to get help for themselves and no one else. Ezra wanted to be sober for Billie, until he eventually realized he needed to be sober for himself so that he could be a better son, friend, bandmate, and life partner. I think it's important that readers know that his love for Billie and his addiction do not cancel each other out but do influence each other. Sobriety can heal those wounds and strengthen that bond. I wanted readers to know and understand that people with addiction can love and be loved, and that it doesn't invalidate those feelings. We all deserve love, and we all deserve a chance to dream.

Again, I just wanted to thank you for reading Rivalry on Tour. I never expected such massive support. Within the six months it's taken to complete it, we're nearly at 500k reads! It still amazes me when we get new readers, and I hope the book continues to grow and reach more. But if not, know that this experience has exceeded every single one of my expectations, and I hope to write more books in the future. So keep an eye out!

Lastly, I hope to see some of you in the comments & likes for the next book in this duology, Requited on Tour!

With Love,
𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆