Hey fans, 

It's come to my attention that there was a misunderstanding with some of the content in A Petal Among Thorns. Petal was always meant to be portrayed as a mature young woman. This is obvious by the way she speaks and her physical features such has her large bust and full hips. 

With the age-play variable, I never meant for her to be below the age of sixteen in fantasy but canonically she's always been eighteen. I tried to alter the code to make sure she couldn't be portrayed as younger than sixteen, but unfortunately I couldn't figure it out. Since I figured we were all adults and could enjoy the game however we damn well please, I decided to leave it alone and let the player decide to make it whatever they wanted. 

This is a fantasy game which means there are no real people involved in any capacity except for me writing the scripts and rendering the images. People have the capacity to differentiate fantasy from reality. We've been doing it for thousands of years as storytelling has been an important part of society since cavemen started drawing art on walls. 

What baffles me is that we're fine with games that have you killing police officers by the hundreds, such as in Grand Theft Auto, but depicting consensual sex with a seventeen year old in a fantasy where no real people are involved makes people lose their minds. 

I don't condone sexual interactions with young persons. Sex is innately an extreme act. There's a vulnerability aspect, tons of chemicals flood the brain, there is a power dynamic, it can be confusing and scary. It's a profoundly intense experience at any age. While a young person is still developing, this can be shaping, defining, and even traumatizing. I don't condone it.

Natural selection bred men that favor young, healthy, and fertile females. The men that bed a healthy young female tended to be the ones whose lineage continued because they would more likely have healthy offspring. Our desire for a sexually mature yet still young woman is not something that just went away when we, as a society, decided it was best to experience sex at a more mature age. Even if I'm wrong on this point, my point holds. It's better to have a healthy outlet in fantasy to reduce the build up of sexual frustration that can lead to unhealthy real world behaviors.

Fantasy is the best possible solution. We men can still enjoy young women without having to involve any real persons. It seems obvious to me that if we can enjoy slaughtering thousands of people in video games without taking to the streets armed to the teeth, we should also be able to indulge in sexual fetishes and kinks that may also be inappropriate in real life. 

This is not a commonly held opinion, and I have been aggressively shamed for it. I'm a small fish in a pond full of sharks and whales. My opinion doesn't matter when it comes to business. While I don't agree with censorship, I'm not willing to die on this hill. 

I've added in a bonus scene to A Petal Among Thorns that takes place after the last sex scene. It's not terribly long, but it is a nice addition. I've removed the age play mechanic and any references to school that I found. Petal is eighteen, she's decided to forgo college for a few months after High School, and starting in A Moment of Bliss she'll be taking two classes in college. 

I know this isn't going to be a popular decision. I don't have the capabilities to fight the system, and I certainly could be wrong in my opinion. For now, I'm rolling over and letting the big dogs win the fight so they don't utterly rip me to shreds. I'm trying to build something here, but I can't if I'm fighting a war that isn't winnable. 

I adore all of my fans. I'm going to do everything I can to make my stories as incredible as I can. 

For everyone on itch.io, I'm lowering the price back down to $2.99 for one week. I'm not exactly sure how itch.io operates, but I hope this quells any issues for people who purchased the novel for $2.99 prior to its increase to full price. 

Thank you for all your support and kindness.