2025 was such a wonderful year! While it may not have seen many physical results, I feel like there's still been a lot to be proud of.
Starting off strong, one of my biggest accomplishments of the year was releasing Chapter 12. It is, perhaps, one of my favourite chapters that I've ever written. Not only is Eliana such an intriguing character to write, but I adored all the personalized moments the Hunter got with the ROs in this chapter. Setting up for the romance lock in Chapter 13 (and teasing that on here and Tumblr) was so fun. I don't know how I managed to keep it a secret for so long.
Speaking of Chapter 13, while I am a little disappointed I wasn't able to finish it in time for the end of the year, it's been such a rewarding experience. I cannot wait to release it in 2026. Of course, I've already talked about it at length in my various updates over the past few months, so I won't bore you by repeating everything, but there's a lot to look forward to. Up until this point, I've fully completed three routes (A, Blane and Rylan) and am about halfway through K's. N's route will be the last one I need to finish before I can begin thinking about the chapter rollout (!!).
Chapter 13 has a tentative release date in February of 2026, with a guarantee of Q1 of 2026 if the deadline needs to be pushed. Chapter 14 will (hopefully) be released in Q3 or Q4 of 2026.
For next year, I want to focus on writing more often in a way that doesn't compromise quality. I know how frustrating it can be to wait months for a new chapter, so I would love to speed up the process and satisfy you all a little quicker! It's also a personal goal of mine to get into a better writing routine, so hopefully that also results in more fulfilling updates.
Another goal for 2026 is to release another IF, possibly in Q3 or Q4 (don't quote me on that). I've been outlining the plot for a new story since the fall, and have pretty much nailed everything down except for the minor details. I'd love to get a jump on writing that story to bring those characters to life. I promise you, they are as lovable, if not more than the When Twilight Strikes characters (though that's hard to beat). To give you a bit of a sneak peek: the plot veers more on the fantasy side with a lot more magic and politics, so I think it would be a great palate cleanser when I sense a writing slump approaching.
Overall, 2025 has treated me really well, and a huge portion of why is because of all of you. I don't think I say this nearly enough, but thank you for sticking by me and continuing to show so much interest and love for this story. It still blows my mind that this project has become important to so many people. I can't thank you all enough for being so kind when I am feeling discouraged about my work, and for being so gentle when I apologize for lacking updates. You're all so incredibly encouraging, and it's times like those that I remember why I continue writing this project.
Here's to 2026 and Chapter 13! Happy New Year <3
