Nicole Peelertempest reborn

The End is Only The Beginning.

Tempest RebornHey folks!

So today sees the release of Tempest Reborn, Jane’s final installment. Obviously, I’ve got a  lot of feelings over this occasion. And because I’m me, I will share them with you, in no particular order.

First of all, how the hell did I write six books? That fact floors me. I see them sitting on their shelves in my office and I think, “Who did that? Me? Surely not…” I have to touch them sometimes, to make sure they’re real. Oddly enough, I can only really remember writing the first one. I can actually feel myself sitting in my nightgown, at like five in the morning, watching the sun rise over the Firth of Forth as I typed, wondering what the hell I was even doing, in my little windowed office nook in our flat in Leith.

Secondly, I think of how my life has changed because of these books. In fact, I’m only now wrestling my life back from the purely reactive stance I’ve had since writing Tempest Rising. Please don’t misunderstand me: this is not a complaint. I love the changes these books have made in my life. But boy, did things change. I became a professor of what, to me, feels like a totally different field, even though it’s under the English rubric. But I was a critic! I studied Modernism! I wrote about other people’s writing. I was never going to write my own fiction.

Until I did.

And then I got a new job because of that fact, and a whole new career as a creative writing professor (keep in mind I’d only taken two creative writing classes in my life–one in high school and one in undergrad). I moved across the country (again) because I realized I had to take this job that offered me publication credit for my books, rather than stuck being expected to publish academic criticism, in order to earn tenure. Anyway, then I realized I had this unique job that did not exist at most schools (as Modernism did), so I couldn’t just up and leave for greener pastures every few years as I’d envisioned. Pre-Jane, as a Modernist, I was going to live all over, but mostly Europe, traveling as a visiting professor and being this total academic gypsy.

Which was probably a pipe dream, anyway, but it was my  pipe dream. That pipe dream ended, however, when I realized I had this great job, that let me do the two things I loved, and PAID ME FOR THEM. And that job didn’t exist in Switzerland, or Iceland, or any of the other places I dreamed of spending some time. And I couldn’t complain, obviously, because, hello, dream jobs, right? But I am also a Peeler, and a bit of a bulldog, and so I refused to give up on my dream, and I kept traveling like a crazy person and dating people overseas (always sensible) just to act like at any point I could move over there and VOILA be a gypsy again.

At some point a few months ago, I realized I’d spent the last six years reacting. I had to, obviously, to adjust to my new life as a writer, especially as someone who was completely unprepared, professionally. And while I know that the illusion of control is just that, an illusion, and I could be hit by a bus coming through my front window as I type this, I decided to live actively again, rather than reactively.

Ironically, of course, Jane helped me do that. The money I earn publishing is a nice (if not insane–don’t get your hopes up, aspiring writers!) bonus to my real salary, and with it I could move to Pittsburgh, to a lovely house I now own. I think, like Jane, I’ve decided to grow up. I don’t know what that means, yet, but I think it’s about expecting more from myself, and the people around me. It’s definitely about building a tribe in the place I live, to anchor the incredible international tribe I’ve built as a writer. And it’s about putting down roots here, in a city I’m really coming to love.

As you are probably thinking, this journey I’m on isn’t unique at all. Everyone probably goes through a reactive stance in their 20s/30s as their lives settle in. And I recognize we’re the lucky ones, those of us who are in a position to stop, dig in our heels, and ask ourselves, “what do we really want?” as opposed to living hand to mouth, never getting such an opportunity.

But it’s been my journey, and man has it been fun.

Not least because I’ve met all of you. Jane’s readers, other writers, my friends who cheered me from the sidelines when I said, “Yeah, I’m, um, writing a book. It’s about this girl…”

Y’all have been amazing. I can’t adequately express my gratitude or my humility, nor can I express how much it has meant to me over the years. To have friends and readers who care about me and about Jane, despite our imperfections and our goofy ways.

That’s the third thing. Thank you for being my tribe. My clan. My rogue bunch of misfits, with our Converse and inappropriate thoughts.

Thank you for reading. xoxoxoxo

Posted by Nicole Peeler

Author, Professor, Lover, Fighter

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36 thoughts on “The End is Only The Beginning.”

  1. You've taken us on a wonderful journey with Jane, and we're grateful. But it's also exciting that now new opportunities are opening up for you — again, doors will open that you never dreamed possible, and you'll have to make the decision which ones to follow and which roads to leave untravelled.

    You've got us with you all the way, whatever you decide to try.

  5. You made me cry! I know I know…I'm just the reader. You're the creator. I can't imagine how it must feel to see years of work…blood, sweat, tears…and alcohol…come to an end. Of course, I'm greatly looking forward to whatever your brilliant mind gives birth to next! Thank you so much for sitting in your PJs while watching the sun rise, while creating Jane and her world. Thank you for giving us Jane. She (and you) have helped me through a very difficult time in my life. I've been able to use Jane to escape reality for a bit and just bury myself in her awesomeness! Congrats on the final book, moving to a new place, and finding a new direction. And thank you for being so open and available to your readers. I may not know you personally, but I feel like I've been given a glimpse of the wonderful, creative, crazy person you are and I absolutely adore you!!!!

  6. Congrats, Nicole! You should be so beamingly proud of what you've done. You and Jane are the best! xoxoxox

  7. Thank you for sharing Jane with the world. I'm a reader for life! So, what's next? No……I'm not impatient at all. 😉

  8. Here's to a new chapter for both of us, Nicole! The details of my chapter are still sketchy yet and just being padded out, but it's been a privilege to write alongside you these past few years, to read the books you wrote. And now it's a different kind of privilege to step into this new chapter of our lives, although I'm very sure my chapter with be quite different to yours 😉 *clinky-clink* pass a tissue….

  9. A canny move, ending the series on your own terms and in a timely fashion, rather than simply writing more out of habit or obligation or laziness. Excited to see what comes next!

  10. This day is actually bittersweet because I absolutely love your Jane True Series and have since I read the very first word. I do want to say thanks for sharing your creativity with the world. It has been a marvelous journey and I for one am up for reading anything else you decide to write.

  12. Dannnng – that's quite a journey!!! I am so sad that the series is over, but SO looking forward to reading this final book. Congrats to you and all you have experienced, and all you will experience after this.

  16. This made me cry, too! xoxo Thank you for sharing that Jane mattered to you. I cannot tell you how much that means to us writers. Seriously, thank you.

  23. A request: Even though it seems inevitable, don't grow up. It causes things like diabetes and becoming a literary critic.

  24. Congratulations on completing the series. Yay for you, closure for me! 🙂 I am so glad the book ended the way it did and Jane really grew up. I was proud of her. A clarification: The bespectacled monk: Dalai Lama?

  25. I have loved Ryu and Anyan so much. I fell in love and have had my heart broken by both throughout the series. Thank you again.

  26. Loved the series. But I didn't realize this was the last one until the end. 🙁 I thought there was a book 7 for the future…. but it was great! 🙂

  30. Nope, I always had six planned. 😉 I think Amazon counts one of my short stories as being in the series, which makes it confusing. But thank you!

  31. I picked up Tempest Rising because I thought the cover art looked cool and your name is Nicole. Dumb reasons, I know but they lead me to something wonderful. Ifellhead over heels for Jane and her “True-niverse” and I’m so sad to see them go. I am a 4-5 book a week reader(some people smoke, I read…and smoke) and so I’m constantly looking for new books. Shame on you for making these books so good that I finished them the same day I got them. I would try to draw them out and make them last because I knew it would be a while for the next one, but I never could. This series totally ketchuped my taters tots. You have a gift, my fellow Nicole, and I thank you for sharing it with us through the years. Don’t go too far away….

  33. I've been avoiding the website because even though I pre-ordered the last one and got it right away, I hadn't had time to read it yet and didn't want any spoilers. (Apparently the dean of our college frowns upon any of us catching up on our reading while at work-I can't imagine why!) Finished it over the weekend in one sitting and I headed straight over here to tell you how much I enjoyed it. I love the way Jane grew as a character and I love that part of what made her so great is that she knew she needed her peeps. I love her humor and her snark and her constant battle between her libido and her virtue, but mostly I love how much loves people. It's been such a fun ride! I hope there will be more stories, esp. about the ladies (and Julian!) of Tryptch (am I spelling that right??) because those were some badass ladies (and Julian!). I missed seeing them in the last book. Looking forward to your next project!

  35. I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for your beautiful characters, your delightfully humorous stories, and that sneaky life lesson hidden in the midst of it all. I lost my mom a few years ago and as I started reading your books I cried for Jane and a little for myself. I knew that paralyzing pain first hand but as I watched Jane stumble and find herself I began to find myself a little as well. Thank you for reminding me that while it feels like the world stops sometimes it doesn’t and there is always an adventure out there ready to be had, though I will admit mine involve fewer dragons and less baddassery.
    Can’t wait for more awesomeness!!!!

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