Preface: A Few Words From Amanda

Hello everybody!

You are probably wondering who this Amanda person is, right? Well it just so happens that I'm the main character of this story, well one of them anyway. Why am I writing the introduction to this story you may ask, well it just so happens that Martin, the author of this story asked me to. He said he wanted someone else's perspective and that I was perfect since I was in the story not behind the story. Personally I think it's actually his silly job is keeping him too busy, but he will never admit that. So here I am, stuck with writing an introduction to the story featuring my life.

I would like to say I was thrilled when the author approached me and wanted to make me part of his story, but that is not true. In fact I was about to turn him down. He was an novice author with brain damage and even thought I liked his "The Unexpected Visitor" and I thought he had potential as a writer that story felt a bit rushed and incomplete for my taste. There was also the matter of personal integrity. Everybody in the real world would know the tiniest details of my thoughts, my feelings and even my sex life. As if that is not enough there is always the possibility that the author does not treat you with respect. I really hate it when some asshole author treats them like characters like they don't have feelings and unfortunately there is no fictional character union to complain to. Sorry I got a bit side-tracked there.

I was talking about my doubts of being in this story. Well there were some advantages as well. I would exist for one. The life of an unemployed fictional character is not easy or pleasant. Our life is literarily empty and you are always alone before the author creates your new life. In his earlier works he seemed to treat his characters with utmost respect, even leaving them a little privacy. So in the end I decided to read his initial draft at least.

If I was reluctant when I started reading the story I was sure I wanted out of this story after reading the first chapters. He was turning me into a not so likeable character, someone most people would despise. But I had promised to read the draft I knew I got more and more interested in the story. In the end I knew I had to be in it. I simply was that girl.

Well that's how I got involved in this story. The story was initially supposed to be called The Big Switch or: How I Quit Being a Cheerleader Bitch and Became a Geek but there seem to be a 63 character limit for titles on the site where the author intended to publish this story. Hence the title was shortened to How I Quit Being a Cheerleader Bitch and Became a Geek. One could say that the title is a bit revealing, but then again it's nothing compared to a film trailer.

Martin also wanted me to say something about feedback. I know that he really appreciates to get feedback. The author works in mysterious ways though, because he actually appreciates critique better than praise. Somehow he thinks it is more honest and motivating. In fact he told me that he does not like to get feedback without some kind of critique. He thinks that the lack of critique lowers his motivation to write more. Personally I think he is acting like a grumpy old fool, but that's just my opinion. I know that he like to get some praise once in a while but please don't flood him with it, he'll just become even grumpier.

Well, I've kept you busy for quite a while and I guess it's time to start the story. This story does not start like other stories usually do with the actual story. This story starts with a short presentation of the protagonists, which happens to be my and Gilbert, lives. Well that about wraps it up for me so I'll better disappear in a cloud of fussy logic.

- Amanda Johnson