LIGHTNOVELONLINE Volume 2 Afterword
Yo! Vodka from QT Brewer again! I hope you’ve all been keeping well! As with last time, this’ll be long and self indulgent, but afterwords are fun, and I want to have fun, so please allow me this bit of selfishness.
And that’s a wrap on volume 2! What’d you think? I went for something a little more ambitious this time around, and while I suspect there’s people who won’t like that shift, I think stories are at their best when the writers behind them are truly excited about what they’re doing, so I wanted to follow my heart and commit to an idea that truly got me fired up. Even with the change in style, I worked hard to capture every bit of the pathetic energy that Rina’s always exuded, and to tell a story that was sexy, fun, and emotionally resonant all at once. As silly and playful as Rina’s story often is, there’s a lot of my own feelings in it, my creative anxieties, my worries that I can never get back some of the wonderful things I’ve lost, and my desire to live as earnestly as possible rather than retreat into my own shyness. Maybe that won’t mean anything to a lot of readers, but I’m glad I got it down, and if that resonates with even one other person, I’ll be endlessly thrilled.
Once again, thank you to everyone’s who read this story. I was shocked by the extremely positive reception to the first volume, and I’m just as shocked by how this story’s popularity has swelled in the time since I started publishing volume 2. Though I went into the second volume immediately expecting to tie things up and end the story there, I was immediately filled with ideas for a 3rd volume, and knowing that so many people are so eagerly reading this story has me excited to continue things. I truthfully can’t say where things might go after volume 3, since I’d like to focus on a big passion project of mine, but I’m always, always going to leave the door open for more stories with Rina. I love her, and all of these characters to death, and don’t think I’ll ever really say goodbye to them.
Now, about volume 3! I teased things pretty heavily in the epilogue, with a pair of new characters who’ll soon join the main cast. Our little mutt’s caught the attention of a king, now! She’s really moving up in the world! I know the epilogue suggests things might move in a particularly serious direction, but rest assured, this series is, and always will be, an erotic romantic comedy. No matter what turns things might take, it’ll always be light, sexy, and fun above all else, and I’m excited for what these characters will bring to the table in that regard, even in a story that’ll be a little higher-stakes than usual. I’m also looking forward to showing a little bit more of what life is like for Iori and Rhody, and how they’re settling in together. I’m having a ton of fun writing everything, and I hope you all enjoy it when the time comes to release it!
As with volume 2, I can’t say when, exactly, volume 3 will be ready to go. I always wait until a volume is completely finished before I start publishing it, so it’ll be a while yet. All I can do is promise to do my best to make sure that the weight is worth it. I’d also like to publish omake side stories between then and now, like the Lady Rina: Princess of Hell story chapters, and I’m currently thinking up some fun ideas for what I’d like to do with them. No promises on when those drop, and there’s always the chance that I just get so excited about volume 3 that I rush right ahead to that first, but it’s fun being able to write shorter, more playful stories with these characters, so it’s definitely something I plan on getting to.
As usual, big thanks to my partner, the other half of QT Brewer. Her edits always bring out the best in my writing, and that’s absolutely true here. I couldn’t do this without her, honestly. She keeps me grounded and focused.
Another massive, massive thank you to everyone who’s commented and talked about this story with me. Even when I can’t respond, I’m always so thrilled to see people’s thoughts, and seeing so much enthusiasm for my writing always pushes me to keep going. If you enjoyed this, please consider leaving a tip on Ko-Fi. I’m largely quite broke, so every little bit helps, but there’s never any pressure to donate whatsoever, your eyes on my work is payment enough. I’m planning on launching a patreon alongside the third volume’s release, primarily for early access to chapters and side stories (though I haven't figured out the specifics, so things might change), since I’d like to be able to better support myself through my writing and dedicate more time to it, but I think, if there’s enough demand, I’d like to open a discord one day too. I’m very shy, but I really want to talk to my readers! If this is something you’d be interested in, please let me know!
Anyway, I’ve gone on way too long again! Time to wrap it up! There’s only so many ways I can say thank you, but truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart. My writing wouldn’t exist without people to read it, and you’ve helped make Rina and her partners that much more special to me.
This is Vodka, signing off! Have a wonderful day, everyone~!