Three months later, Marcus stood in the gallery where his thesis exhibition was being held. June had arrived with the kind of heat that made Chicago shimmer, and the gallery's air conditioning struggled against both the temperature and the crowd of people gathered for the art therapy program's final presentations.
His work hung on the walls—not the October paintings, not the manic fragments he'd created during his relapses, but something different. A series he'd titled "Chronic," depicting the same scene painted over and over across twelve canvases: a figure taking medication at a kitchen counter. Each painting was slightly different—the light changed, the figure's posture shifted, the medications multiplied or simplified—but the core image remained constant. The daily ritual of management, rendered in variations.
My goal behind receiving fan support is not just financial — though of course that helps me continue writing without as much worry about practical limitations — but also emotional and creative. Writing can sometimes feel like a lonely pursuit, and fan support, whether it comes in the form of kind words, sharing my work, or even monetary contributions, tells me that what I create resonates with people. That support allows me to grow, to take risks in my writing, and to give more back to the community that believes in me. In simple terms: fan support keeps the cycle alive. I give my stories and my heart through words, and the encouragement I receive in return becomes the fuel that helps me keep going. Ultimately, my goal is not just to ‘receive,’ but to build a relationship. I want readers to feel that they are part of the journey — that when they support me, they aren’t just helping me write another chapter, they’re shaping the existence of the story itself.
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