Acknowledgements

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Thank you so much for reading Until the Last Star Fades!

A few years ago, I wouldn’t have called myself a mental health warrior. I hid my anxiety and fought through panic attacks, but when I wrote Alex Sinclair’s struggles with anxiety in my first two books, I saw my mental health challenges in a new light. I saw how they might help others. So, instead of leaving Alex to bravely face the mental health stigma on her own, I joined her. I haven’t been silent about mental health awareness since.

With Riley Hope, I opened up about my own smiling depression. The diagnosis sounds funny, but it’s no laughing matter. Ignorant notions about people with my type of depression abound, but I can tell you, none of us are weak. We’re resilient and we feel everything so much—that’s our superpower. It’s time to tell the ugly stigma to, as Ben would say, “do one.” I hope in some small way, I’ve done that with this book.

The mom storyline in Until the Last Star Fades was incredibly hard for me to write. I lost my mum a few years ago and it changed me like nothing else has. Even though she’s not “here”, I talk to her all the time, and she lives in these pages—just little things that mean everything—as well as the gut-punching challenges with cancer, summers spent in hospitals, the endless hope for good news, and the crushing despair when it’s elusive. I’ve been there, and my heart breaks for anyone who’s been there, too.

Until the Last Star Fades also gave me another chance to explore organ donation (I wrote about it for a magazine a few years ago). Back then, I interviewed living donors, organ recipients, and family members of deceased donors. For this book, I also received invaluable insight from the ‘Living Donors Online’ Facebook group. Three liver donors shared personal stories with me: Heather Badenoch, Megan Hornseth, and Meghan Hanley. It’s one thing signing up to donate your organs after you die (if you haven’t, please do!), but it’s quite another to selflessly give the gift of life when you’re living. These women are heroes.

I’d like to thank Heather, Bill, Tobey, and my family and friends for always supporting me. Love you so much.

Sending all the Pizza Express doughballs (plus hugs) to Vicki and Charlie. Cheers for the line that describes Ben perfectly (even though you thought of it for a different Ben!). Love ya!

Cristina, your talent inspires me, and I wish we could hang out more. Here’s to seeing Whishy together soon.

To my wonderful beta readers, thank you for all your help!

Caitlin (Editing by C. Marie), sorry for being a crazy comma lady! Thank you for the polish and your kindness.

Thanks to Steve Scanlon for your beautiful back cover photo.

Crystal Patriarche, Taylor Brightwell and the BookSparks team—you are PR rock stars!

Author shout-out! Thanks to Renée Carlino, Andrea Dunlop, R.S. Grey, and Colleen Hoover for blurbs and Instagram photos. One day, I hope we meet so I can thank you personally. Kristin Contino & Nicole Trilivas, I have met you both and adore you!

Darren & Zoey—you’re everything! I love you. You’re my life and my heart. I couldn’t do any of this without you.

To the Bookstagrammers, BookTubers, and bloggers who have read and supported my books: you’re so creative and AWESOME! Thanks for taking a chance on this indie author. Big hugs.

And to the Keeganites in my FB group! You make bookmarks, candles, have tea parties—celebrating my books! Cool doesn’t even begin to describe you guys and what you do! I love you to the moon and back. Thank YOU! xoxo