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Tonight I wrote the final chapter of Capheleon Nights.


I've been working on this book for almost ten years. It's been through job changes, two degrees, a lot of late nights after work, weekends I spent rewriting the same scenes over and over, and more drafts of Chapter One than I want to admit. There were plenty of points where I honestly didn't know if I'd get here.


I'm not totally done. There's still an epilogue to write, and then editing, which I already know is going to be its own slog. But tonight felt different. Tonight I finally reached the end of the story I set out to tell all those years ago.


These last few chapters were harder to write than I expected. Without spoiling anything, some of the scenes reminded me why I started this book in the first place, and some of them hit a lot harder than I was ready for. Stories have a way of getting more personal than you meant them to be.


Looking back, this book grew up alongside me. It's not the story I imagined ten years ago, and I'm glad it isn't. The characters got more real, the world got bigger, and I think I got better at this along the way too.


Tomorrow I go back to it. Epilogue, editing, proofreading, all the unglamorous steps between a finished draft and an actual book.


But tonight I'm letting myself sit with this for a minute. For the first time in almost ten years, I got to the end.


Thanks to everyone who's stuck with this story and believed in it, even back when it only existed in my head.


Next chapter starts now.


Next up: I'll be writing the epilogue before diving into the editing process. There's still work ahead, but tonight I'm celebrating reaching the end of the story.

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It's been a little while since my last journal update, and I wanted to let everyone know why things have been a little quieter than usual.


Last week was the Fourth of July, and we had family staying with us for a few days. It was wonderful spending time together, but our holiday weekend took a pretty unexpected turn.


Around 2:00 p.m. on the Fourth of July, the storms showed up like an uninvited guest, ate our holiday weekend for lunch, knocked out the power, and left without even saying goodbye.


We lost power that afternoon, and because we're on a well, we also lost water. To make things even more interesting, a large tree came down just inches from the bedroom where we were sheltering. It was a sobering reminder of just how quickly things can change.


With temperatures in the upper 80s, we spent the next 48 hours without electricity or running water. We packed up the dogs and headed to our church each day so they could stay cool while we charged our phones and a few battery-powered lights. I was incredibly grateful to have somewhere we could go while we waited for the power to come back on.


As if the weekend hadn't already checked enough boxes, I managed to fall down our stairs on Sunday and jam my middle finger. Then, on Monday, after finally getting the power back around 2:30 in the afternoon, I headed out to replace everything we'd lost in the refrigerator, only to discover my car had decided it wanted a vacation too. It looks like a fuel injector is failing, so we're down to one vehicle until the shop can get it in later this week.


None of these things are life-altering, and I know there are people dealing with far greater challenges every day. Even so, it was one of those weekends where every time you thought things couldn't get any crazier, life said, "Hold my coffee."


The good news is we're all safe, the dogs are happy to be back home, the lights are back on, and life is finally starting to settle down.


One thing this weekend reminded me of is how easy it is to take the little things for granted. A cool house. Running water. A hot meal. Sitting down at my computer at the end of the day and disappearing into the world of Capheleon for a few hours. Sometimes it takes losing those ordinary comforts to realize just how much they mean.


Most importantly, I'm back to writing.


I'm currently working on Chapter 45 of Capheleon Nights, and the world continues to grow with every chapter. It's exciting to watch pieces that have lived in my imagination for years finally come together on the page, and I can't wait to share this story with all of you.


Thank you to everyone who continues to follow along, whether you're reading these journal entries, exploring the website, or simply cheering me on from afar. Your encouragement means more than you know.


Until the next adventure,

Janell

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Author

Janell L. Droze has loved fantasy stories for as long as she can remember, especially the kinds of stories that blur the line between the ordinary world and something stranger hidden just beneath the surface.


Living in the Missouri Ozarks, many of the settings and atmosphere in Capheleon Night are inspired by storm-heavy skies, winding lake roads, dense forests, and the uneasy beauty of small towns after dark.


Capheleon Night began years ago as scattered ideas, unfinished scenes, and characters that refused to completely leave her alone. After stepping away from writing for a long time, she eventually returned to the story and discovered it had grown into something far more personal than she originally expected.


When she is not writing, she spends her time reading, working, and spoiling her dogs far more than she probably should.