Hi there and thank you so much for being here!

I’m going a little out of order. Usually, something like this comes as a bonus feature after you’ve already fallen into the story. But I figured it’d be better to get it out of the way now.

You know, the proverbial ripping off the band-aid instead of prolonging the suspense (or suffering, lol).

Before you dive in, I just want to say how grateful I am that you’ve chosen to spend some time in this fictional world I’ve been building.

I have far too many friends and family to thank who motivated me to stay the course and keep writing this story. I can’t begin to count the number of times I almost gave up — from creative burnout to accidentally deleting entire drafts (yes, that happened).

To those who encouraged me, listened, and believed in this project: you know who you are, and I can’t thank you enough for keeping me going.

This story draws inspiration from the living cultures and beliefs of the Nahua peoples of Mesoamerica (often known historically as the Aztec or Mexica).

These aren’t “myths of the past” but living traditions. While this story is purely a work of fiction, I hope it points you toward the real voices who keep those traditions alive.

One of my hopes for this story is that it might spark curiosity and respect and perhaps inspire you to learn more directly from those who live and breathe these traditions.

That said, a quick content note: this story includes brief but infrequent mentions of blood and animal-related imagery (such as bites or predation). These aren’t the focus of the story, but they may be uncomfortable for some readers. Please read with care and take breaks if you need to.

If you’d like to explore more about these cultures and some of the myths behind this story’s inspiration, here are a few resources to check out:

-  @paquiliztli and @nahuatltlahtocan on Instagram and YouTube—for lessons on Nahuatl, Nahua history, and Nahua community events.

-  @readingwithmj on Instagram—for literature and book clubs featuring BIPOC works.

- The Espooky Tales podcast—for episodes on Latin American folklore, myths, legends, haunted places, and spooky cuentos del rancho.

Thanks again for joining me on this journey. I hope you enjoy the story ahead, and that it leaves you inspired and maybe a little more curious about the world we share!

P.S. Life’s a hike!