Fire and Freedom - Book One of the Café Latte Trilogy

Author's Note

Hi everyone!

This is just a short note to address something I think is really REALLY important for all my re-readers and my new readers alike to know about me and my writing.

I first wrote Fire and Freedom in 2012 (wow, time flies!) when I was 17.

In the first version of this book, Jasper was 17 and Ross was 28. At the time, being 17, I thought it was perfectly fine to have that as a relationship. I was sheltered, and I thought I was very mature for my age (I was, in many ways, but that still didn't make me an adult). I want to make clear that I don't view age gaps as wrong in ADULT relationships, I have, as an adult, dated many people older than myself. I do however have an issue with any minor being in a relationship with an adult. It is categorically wrong.

In future versions of Fire and Freedom, Jasper changed to be 19. Jasper going off to university is a huge plot point throughout the book, so that wasn't changed, and his story of being bullied in a high school setting was also vital. Therefore, I edited the book to make it that he originally left school at 17, worked for a couple years, then went back at 19 to complete his education and prepare for university.

This cleared up the minor/adult issues I had with the original - but I do want to also clarify something really important to me.

Jasper and Ross' relationship is tumultuous and complex - because life at 19 and life at 28 are very different things. I'm 29 myself now (in 2024), and I wouldn't date a 19 year old, because we are at MASSIVELY different points in our lives. In fact, I now teach undergrad and postgrad at university, so that would be INCREDIBLY weird for me to have students in the same age range as a partner!!

So, basically: I don't think that age gaps are necessarily bad - some people have the same ambitions and goals at different ages. But they should absolutely NOT happen if one party is under 18, and I do not want this book to be taken as a recommendation for large age gaps while in early adulthood. This is fiction, and a fun world, and I like to think I give you flawed characters that face difficulties and realistic problems, but it isn't a how-to guide on relationships.

I'm keeping this book up, and on the Kindle store if you want the newer version, because it's a massively sentimental piece for me and I know people would miss it if I took it down. But please be mindful of this message as you go ahead.

All my love,

Cameron

♡