The author drafted this novel during one of his phases. Unless you like teenage OC cringe writing and growing pains, read on with discretion.
ADDENDUM (February 2, 2024):
After some consideration, I have decided to rework the second half of the story's prologue. I am not proud of who I was back when I wrote it, and I wish to improve the overall flow and pace of my story.
ADDENDUM (March 29, 2025):
Honestly, I wish I didn't have to make this addendum. But I don't know what to do.
I have a confession to make. Namely, that I started using generative AI (ChatGPT) as a substitute for legitimate human feedback as I continued writing this series and other stories.
Let me clarify that ChatGPT was not involved in the initial drafting of these stories. The inputs were my own, original works, which I then sent to ChatGPT for 'feedback'.
But I'm scared that this has somehow made me less of an author. That I have, to quote, 'bastardized' my work, or worse, plagiarized others'. But I never meant to steal or make my work something generic, corporate, and soulless. I was ignorant and just thought I could use AI to review and improve my work, since people around me weren't as interested or invested in my work as I was.
I don't want to give up on the worlds I've created, tainted as they are by my foolish choice. But I will try to quit using ChatGPT to review my work.
So … once again, I'm sorry. I promise I'll do better in the works to come.
As a show of sincerity, ChatGPT was not consulted at any point in the writing of this addendum.