I want to start this out by saying this: I am not done with this series! But to make you all understand why I'm drawing Ocean's Rage to a close and starting a remake of this book, we'd have to go back to when I was 15 or 16 years old, a long way back when I was writing the first chapter. When was this? I'd say just before COVID hit.

I never intended to become an artist. I never thought I'd ever become so invested in my little project either. It was a pass-time, so to speak, but as more and more time passed I realized there was something really special about this. For OR, I could craft a world unlike our own. Create clothes and cultures and characters of my own, give them backstories and motivations...but that was my sin.

You see, I severely lacked skill and ability when it came to writing when I first started the book. Of course, I was only around sixteen then and was writing the series as a hobby. I had no real vision as to where the series should go, or how to plan out characters and stories. But the more I read, the more shows and series I watched, the more characters from anime and manga like Bleach and Made in Abyss that I discovered...the more I realized what I was missing.

The more I learned.

And that was where my sin began to take shape in my eyes. I had learned too late, much too late. How many chapters had I written? 35? 40? So far I'd gone without realizing how much I was missing and what I needed to improve to attract a greater audience.

The final nail in the coffin for this version of my book was when I recently drew a concept map with my ever-improving, yet still insufficient artistic abilities.

You see, I realized something. Using real countries as a part of your world in a slightly more fantasy-based, historical series is an awful idea. The amount of research I had to do on different countries, the amount of time I spent trying to keep different cultures and aspects of the series accurate to reality was awful. Ultimately, I realized that if I wanted to fully gain freedom and write what I wanted to write however I wished, I would have to bring this book to a close and start anew.

Soon, very soon, I will start uploading iraMaris to this site. It has mostly the same characters, Jackie Blackheart will still be the main protagonist, and pretty much everyone will be the same.

So why am I rewriting the book? Aside from the world building, there is another reason. You see, I already know how the series will end. I already have the rough outline for the entire series thought up.

And so, the grand start of the series. The beginning, where the story of Jackie Blackheart starts...it feels much too abrupt and rushed, doesn't it? Even aside from my amatuer descriptions and how short the early chapters are, you can tell I really was grasping at straws at the starting point.

Blackbeard? Using a gun in the first chapter? What was I thinking?

Heh. In any case, think of iraMaris as a rewrite of Ocean's Rage. Don't worry if you've already been reading the series. There's going to be loads of very very interesting new content right from the first chapter, believe me.

And so, that's about everything I have to say for the time being. I've also been reading a lovely series called the Wandering Inn lately and it has really helped with my writing skill. I would recommend it to you all, truly I would, but there is a certain girl by the name of Ryoka that I truly detest, and if you were to wish the worst for her before dropping the series in frustration I would not blame you. At all.

One last thing: I really would appreciate it if you all would follow me on Twitter. I've already uploaded the new map for iraMaris there, so please do check out @percilott on Twitter. I haven't been active since, well, I really don't have too many followers! It feels lonely whenever I log in, so I'd appreciate it if you would consider. That being said, I will see you all very very soon, so good night and thank you all for reading!