The Famoux

Afterword & Book 2

Oh my god. That just happened. I just posted that.

The Famoux is done.

If you haven't shared in the previous chapters, or you'd like to give me the condensed version here, please tell me your thoughts.

Reader, I cannot thank you enough for joining me on this journey. In every dark part of my life (one might call them Darkenings) I have had The Famoux to daydream about and make me feel better. It has truly been my escape from reality for as long as my memories go. The fact that you, wherever in the world you are, have actually viewed this story and made it to the end . . . You simply have no idea how much this means to me.

Thank you for taking this book with you, whether that meant reading in class, or at family parties, or in the car, or in your room. Thank you for telling me about how this book made you unable to sleep because you couldn't put it down. Thank you for every time you ignored studying or read on the job or screeched so loud in public places. Thank you for talking about it to your friends and your family. Tell them right now that I say hello. Tell them that I think you're a bright little lumerpa, and they ought to always treat you that way. Thank you for jumping up and down or throwing your phone at the wall––whichever the scene called for. Thank you for making fan art and sending me theories and tweeting me about your favorite characters. Thank you for naming your pets Foster and Chapter and for quoting my book in front of your friends, even if you knew they wouldn't get it. Thank you for every time you ever waited for Famoux Friday. Thank you for telling me how sometimes, when things got especially bad for you, you always knew friday was coming. Thank you for relying on my story like I've been for my entire life.

Everything I've just written down are things I have heard in comments, tweets, or emails. You have no idea how much it means to me that you care about this little story I made. I tear up every single night when I'm reflecting over it all before I go to bed. This is beyond anything I could ever hope for.

Before I explain to you why I just ended this the way I ended it, I have a request for you. If you enjoyed the surprise Famoux member chapters, I'd love for you to hear more about everything they're thinking. I'm going to add a few Famoux characters' names down, and I'd love it if you asked them a question. I've seen a few stories do "Character Interviews" before, and if I take longer than planned to post the first chapter of book 2, I don't want you forgetting all about them.

These questions can be as serious or as ridiculous as you'd like them to be. Feel free to ask them for spoilers as to what's to come! I'd love to hear whatever your undying questions are.

What would you like to ask Emeray Essence?

What would you like to ask Chapter Stones?

What would you like to ask Till Amaris?

What would you like to ask Kaytee McKarrington?

What would you like to ask Calsifer Race?

What would you like to ask Norax Geddes?

What would you like to ask Cartney Kirk?

What would you like to ask Sentry Gerald?

What would you like to ask Marlon York?

What would you like to ask the ghost of Foster Farrand? (Too soon?)

What would you like to ask Callan?

What would you like to ask Carstan van Horne?

What would you like to ask Finley?

What would you like to ask Bree Arch?

What would you like to ask Rebecca?

What would you like to ask Dalton Parvenu/the whole Parvenu Family?

What would you like to ask DEFED?

All right. That's everybody I could think of. I might not do all of them, but better more options than less. Ask away!

Now, I'd like to thank you for being my own personal Volxsturm over the last few months. In different drafts and different plans I've killed every single Famoux member. Obviously, this caused for some major stress when doing this draft because I couldn't decide which death for best. I realized during this journey, however, that in order for things to happen perfectly, all I needed was outside opinions to help in aiding the best possible decision.

Let me take you through my thought process:

By the overwhelming response that Till die when I first announced DEFED's plan, you unknowingly granted her immunity. I actually was going to have her die initially, but the moment I saw that you expected this to happen, I changed it. Of course, it's my own fault that I didn't give her more substance in this book, but you're about to get to know Till quite well in the future.

Now, Kaytee––that would've been too easy. I sort of set it up at the end and tied it up in a neat little ribbon. It would be way too convenient if her life were to fall apart and then she was the one who ended up dying. Also, I sort of feel like it would be really sad and mean and a whole lot of evil at once. I don't think she deserves that much pain.

To kill Race would be sad, yes, but he already has one foot out the door. If he died, that would also be a little too convenient, don't you think? If DEFED has eyes everywhere, they likely heard that argument going down where he said he wanted to vanish. Would DEFED ever take the easy route?

Killing Chapter felt unnecessary to me, because the whole narrative surrounding Emeray and Cartney has just now begun. If he were to die, we would be losing a whole lot of extra fun things I've been daydreaming about for book 2 since I was ten years old. Also, the bulk of you happen to love him more than literally anybody in the whole book. I'm afraid you would leave me if he was gone!

In Emeray's case, I'm sure you already guessed she was going to live. Of course, everybody is in hot water at all times, and I'm totally open to pulling a Veronica Roth, but really, killing my protagonist in book 1? I think book 2 would have a pretty hard time without her narration.

And so there was Foster. I can't tell you how long I laid on my bed and stared at the ceiling and asked myself, "SHOULD I REALLY KILL THIS LITTLE ANGEL?" There's already so much talk in the YA world about killing off homosexual characters, and I was absolutely terrified that people would somehow think I was being mean about it (as if Foster is some sort of token character I added in from my own guilt. False.) But as I tried to talk myself out of it, major plot points started unfolding out to me. If Foster is the one who dies, I realized, so much becomes possible for the next book––things I've been planing for years. You may have already noticed some of these plans in the very brief epilogue.

I am very very sorry about any sadness I might possibly have caused you with this death, but I can promise you that the book is moving forth and he will not be forgotten. I promise I promise I promise.

Speaking of book 2 . . . maybe I should give you the title.

I've been planning Famoux titles since the seventh grade. I tried adding X on words that end with S, much like "Famous." I looked for words that actually ended with X that I wouldn't need to change. I searched high and low in dictionaries and Scrabble word guides and those fancy Twitter posts that give you dramatic words for sunrise and whatnot. I pulled out all the stops to make sure it was cool enough, hopefully, for your standards.

I'll admit to you, I like the final book's title the most out of all three. But you'll have to wait just a little for that one.

Without further ado . . .

The storm's just started. In the wake of a tragedy, change is inevitable. It is now time for . . .

The Classix.

I hope you're screaming as loud as I am.

Now, Wattpad, that's all for today. I hope you're doing well, and if you're not doing well, that my book maybe made you feel a little better for .8 seconds. I promise you we're going to make it. I'm so happy I have you.

For one last time, Wattpad, remember this:

Sticks and Stones may break your bones, but haters make you famoux.