Hello! I am everythingpretzel, the writer of Paper Flowers.

  First off, I want to thank you for taking the time to read my story. Whether you were here from the beginning, found my story once it was completed, or even if you skipped to the end, thank you. When I started writing this story, I could have never imagined that when I was completing it, I would have anyone actively reading it. Many writers never have people read their work...so the fact that you’re here, and I am here, and we are here together...is no short of a miracle to me. :)

  The fact that I've reached the end of my second story posted out into the world is a bit baffling. It's weird feeling when something that has been apart of my everyday life has come to an end. I am so glad that you have taken the time to enjoy this story. It is a special treat as a writer to have people who have fallen in love with the characters and the story that I have created, at least enough to make it to the end.

  If you have left any feedback or comments along your journey, thank you so much! It's always a joy to read your reactions, and the feedback is invaluable.

  The idea of the story for Paper Flowers began in January of 2024, but really started to come together in May of 2024. In January, the idea of a woman having gotten hit by a car and seeing flowers on the ground as she died before coming back to life, was all I really had to go off of. Last May, the idea that the woman could possibly hate the flowers, and think of someone who treated her so poorly (like her mother, for example), was really becoming solidified. I also came up with the idea that her mother was a famous garden show gardener. I'll still never forget my husband chastising me for the idea that her mother could be a *poor* gardener. I figured I'd find a way to make it work ;)

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  It was shortly before I began writing the story that I realized that I really wanted the main character's names to be plant based, and have a meaning behind them. I spent considerable time trying to figure out Daphne's name, as unfortunately there is not a lot of flowers that mean renewal / immortality. The lion's share of the plants that meant these things were not words that could be duplicated as names. Daphne wasn't my favorite name...but Daphne grew into it over time.

  After I settled on Daphne, and started picking out Asher's name (which means you are safe with me). Magnolia means "loyalty", Cypress means "immorality," Viola means "think of me," which was never incorporated into the story, but was supposed to be a subtle sign to Kimberly's lover that she hoped Viola's father was thinking of Kimberly. Some colors of roses can suggested "obsession," and of course, the olive tree is known for it's peace symbolism. I thought it would be fun to have one person named a plant name outside of the main gardener's kiddos, and Holly's name was initially supposed to be Heather. I ended up settling on Holly because, admittedly, it's one of my favorite names, but it also meant "wisdom," and I figured that Daphne would be asking someone for advice.

  Adding in the extra layers of symbolism into this story was something I had never done before, and I ended up enjoying it more than I anticipated. I hope that I can continue to use it in future stories.

  Finally, if you have made it this far, I would like to invite you to follow me on Inkitt, Scribble Hub, or Royal Road. I promise you I’m not the type of creator who is going to spam notifications to you inbox...that kind of thing drives me crazy. I’m not even going to ask for money either. In the coming future, I am planning on putting the preview for my next story on my wall. I hope that you look forward to it! And if you don’t want to follow me, that’s okay too! I just hope that we may cross paths again someday. :)

  Thanks for reading!

  Much love,

  everythingpretzel