Wow.  To say that I am overwhelmed by this would be a bit of an understatement.

I don't think I can thank you all enough for reading and for being so unbelievably wonderful with your comments and responses. I am always so humbled and grateful when people let me know they enjoyed one of my fics, so to be given these kinds of honors is really just amazing to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

One thing that I always search for as a reader is a story that will touch me, or that I can relate to emotionally, so I think that means the most to me as an author, when someone out there might find a similar connection to something I have written. I also find the most compelling stories to be those that are character-driven and true to life, as mundane and trivial as it may seem at times, which is where I try to put the focus on my own stories. I think what is going on just under the exterior or façade put forth can be the most interesting facet of any character, and I love to explore that sort of situation, what motivates them and all the conflicting emotions that can be involved. If I have created a "good read" in the process, than that is really just so gratifying and fulfilling to know, which is why I appreciate this kind of recognition so much. Just to be nominated was so great, and for some of my stories to have actually won awards really kind of awe-inspiring.

I want to thank anyone who has ever left feedback or responded to one of my stories, whether publicly or privately. It means so much to me that you take the time to let me know what you think, or even just to say that you enjoyed it. I also want to send my congratulations out there to all the other wonderful authors who were nominated and/or won, because it was certainly a great collection of talent. I admire you all for the time and effort you put into your stories for others to enjoy, and it inspires me to try to do the same. And I want to send a very special thank you to Kaitlyn, better known to everyone as DeepBlueSea, who never wanted any recognition but deserves it because it just wouldn't be possible without her. She is the best, and I think we are all so lucky to have had her writing for these characters and sharing her time and talent.

If you don't mind indulging me for just a moment, I'd like to say how especially thrilled I was that you chose Duff from "Can't Get There From Here" as Best Original Character. He was mostly a composite of guys I knew in my own small hometown with emphasis on one boy in particular, someone who will always have a fixed spot in my heart and is always somewhere in the back of my mind. I'm so happy that I may have done the character some justice based upon all the favorable responses I received, and it was so awesome to discover many of you seemed almost as invested in his story as you were with Pacey and Joey.

I'm also so happy that you chose "Hope is a Four Lettered Word" in the Inspirational category, because - as the title might suggest - that was sort of exactly what I was going for in writing that story. So, thanks for that kind of validation, in letting me know I might have got it right! The recognition given to "Can't Get There From Here" is also so, so appreciated because there really was a lot of time and effort and careful thought and planning put into that story, to the point where I was almost exhausted. There was so much story I was trying to tell all at once that I have to admit I sometimes wondered if I'd taken on more than I could handle, since I only intended fic writing to be a fun, leisurely activity to do in my spare time. Heh. Which brings me to "Old, New, Borrowed and Blue", which was just complete and pure fun for me from start to finish, where the writing came so easily because I was enjoying myself so much. I'm so glad to know that it turned into something others could enjoy as well. In each of my stories I sort of like to take a certain twist in another direction or explore "what could have been" while remaining as true as possible to the characters, and I'm so happy to have had you along for the ride!

Now that I have rambled on sufficiently, I want to once again thank all of you out there who take the time to read my stories, and thank you for these amazing honors. You are all much too kind, and I can never express just how much it means to me.

I hope to have more stories to share in the future, and I promise to try my best to be worthy of this wonderful praise you have bestowed upon me.

Thank you!

Juliet