I thought judging Round 1 was tough... but round 2? Absolute agony. The good kind. The "I can't believe this many talented, brilliant authors from all around the world are competing in The Ink Games" kind.
This stage is called The Purge for a reason—we have to say goodbye to 18 entries. So if you've made it through... that's already a massive accomplishment on its own. Truly.
And seeing you cheer each other on in the comments? That nearly took me out. Please keep doing that—this community is everything.
At this point, I think we're close enough for hugs, so come here—all of you. Consider yourselves pulled into a bone-crushing embrace. You're my heroes!
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And if your book didn't advance this time, please don't be discouraged. You've already achieved so much just by making it this far. Keep dreaming. Keep writing. Keep reaching.
And remember—you're still in The Ink Vote, and The Ink Lab is always open to you. New prompts, new chances, and a whole new spotlight are waiting.
