Delays Ahead

You know, as someone who doesn't actually celebrate any of the winter holidays, I was not expecting this holiday season to be so overwhelmingly stressful. But life has had different plans.

A while back, a friend of an acquaintance I know found herself unexpectedly homeless. I happen to live somewhat nearby, and I also happen to believe that all human beings have a fundamental right to safe shelter, so we have been assisting her temporarily while she arranges for a more permanent residence. This has been a lot of work! That's true for several reasons, really, many of which get into things rather too personal to complain about in a public space, but please believe me when I say these two things: this has been one of the most stressful periods of my entire life, and I do not regret it for a second.

Still. What this means for you is that I might start getting somewhat unreliable when it comes to updates, especially for Are You Even Human.

Why AYEH specifically? ...Because it's less fun to write. That's it. I'm not really enjoying the process of finishing up the final book of AYEH, and to be clear that does not mean there is any risk of me not doing it—I am a professional, I am used to pushing through difficult periods of writing—but it makes this particularly difficult with all the stress I have been under. The current section of MGMH, by comparison, is something I look forward to very much and therefore it acts as more of a stress relief than a stress additive. If the stories had been in different parts of their current plot, it could have very easily gone the other way.

Regardless, I believe Are You Even Human as a story will suffer if I burn myself out writing something that the stress is making me resentful towards, so if there are any unplanned breaks in the update schedule in the near future, that is the reason why. And of course, the reason I'm writing this is because there won't be a chapter this week.

So! How long do I expect this situation to go on? The good news is that we've recently gotten very good news re: more permanent housing, and we are currently on track for a stable situation for my friends and family sometime in January. February, however, would likely be a more realistic estimate for when my stress levels will have lowered back down to something manageable in the long-term.

Thank you for your understanding in this difficult time. I will absolutely be working to put out chapters as often as I am able, but as the people who are graciously giving me the financial security necessary to extend this help to someone less fortunate, I believe it is your right to know when I cannot maintain my promises to you.

Happy holidays to those who celebrate,
Natalie