Welcome to the Dark Side came to me one day when I was doing The Lean outside a liquor store. I was raised by a conservative mother in a well-established family in a smallish city but my father was a rebel. He was the kind of man who happily flouted societal rules, doing whatever he wanted and doing it with a charming smile. There was always that dichotomy of spirit inside me as a result, the same duality that Louise/Loulou found in herself in the book. I believe that everyone has a kernel of rebellion in their hearts. Sometimes, people live their whole lives without anything to water and feed that seed into something more, something substantial and beautiful like a rose with thorns. Zeus does that for Loulou. He does it by being supportive and totally accepting of every facet of her so that she doesn’t feel the need to hide and even more, she wants to expose every nook and cranny of her soul to him so that he might love all of her. Their story is about love and acceptance, about being who you want to be regardless of perceptions because as Zeus would say, livin’ free is the only way to die.
I have so many people to thank for loving and supporting my own rose with thorns and this book.
First and foremost, to my amazing Fairy Godmother, Yoda and PA, Serena McDonald who took a novice writer with mild ambitions and very little know-how under her wing and told her not only that her dreams were possible but taught her how to make them come true. There aren’t words to express my gratitude for this woman. She is my boss, my cheerleader and my dear friend. I hope I never have to write and release another book without her.
To Michelle Clay for her gentle spirit, enduring support and 24/7 advice about everything from cover photos to plot details. In her, I have found utter acceptance and a beautiful friendship. She rearranged her days in order to proof and edit this manuscript’s rough draft and there aren’t enough thanks in the world for me to bestow upon her for that.
My darling Cassie Chapman has been one of my best friends in this wonderful book words for ages but I will never cease to appreciate her. I’m sorry, ladies, but Daddy Zeus is HERS. Thank you, my darling Cass, for the gorgeous teasers and last-minute graphics I asked you to make, for beta-reading Daddy and for loving me. Love you more than tacos.
There are some people that you meet online and instantly forge a connection with over HTML pages and Facebook posts. Rebecca Scarlett, my gorgeous fellow Canadian, is one such person that happened with. I feel overwhelmed by her support and genuine friendship. Thank you for the shout-outs, beta-reading WTTDS and just being my friend. I can’t wait to meet you and bake pies!
When I first started reading indie romance, K Webster was one of my ultimate favorite authors and she still is to this day. It still blows my mind that I can also call her my friend (cue fan-girling) and that she proofed Daddy’s book for me. Daddies for life, Kristi!! I’m so jazzed to know you haha.
Lylah James, you Canadian beauty, thank you for all our chats and for beta-reading Daddy and going easy on me.
Najla Qambar is my cover designer and all-round graphics magician. She brings my delicious Fallen MC men to life so beautifully it’s as if she lives in my imagination (remind me to wear a tinfoil hat if we ever meet in person!).
To Marjorie Lord for her proofreading expertise, I’d be a mess of errors without you.
Olive Teagan, my darling, thank you for taking your keen eye to the book! It astounds me how error-ridden this book would be without you. But most of all, thank you for giving me your beautiful friendship!
To Stacey from Champagne Formatting, THANK YOU for making this book a gorgeous, polished gem!
Every day that I interact with my readers in Giana’s Darlings, I feel so blessed. Thank you to my loyal Darlings for assuaging my doubts, reading my works and sharing your passion with me. You make every single day feel like a girls’ night and I couldn’t love that more!
The biggest shout out has to go to the readers and book bloggers in Daddy Zeus’s ARC Team! I love you for your enthusiasm and willingness to share Daddy with others. Your support is essential to me <3
I believe that you create your own family and I am so blessed to have so many friendships with beautiful women and authors in this community. For the authors who participated in my Release Party—K.J. Lewis, Carian Cole, Saffron A. Kent, Kennedy Ryan, Shanora Williams, Mara White, Dani Rene, M. Never, K.K. Allen, Sierra Simone, Leigh Lennon, Dylan Allen, Rebecca Scarlett, Auden Dar, Marley Valentine, Meagan Brady, Ava Harrison, C.L. Matthews, Ella Fields, Jane Anthony, Fiona Cole, Kathryn Nolan, Lucia Franco, L.B. Dunbar, Lizzie Hart Stevens, Ella Fox, L.J. Shen, K Webster and Charleigh Rose! Also, to my girls, Olive Teagan and Lee Piper—your support is one of the best gifts I have ever been given in this life.
I can’t even begin to express my gratitude for Sierra Simone. You are such a goddess and the fact that you take time out of your busy, beautiful life to help and encourage me humbles me. Your friendship means so much to me.
Kristie Lewis, my darling Southern girl, I love you so much. I love that we are on this crazy journey together, loving and supporting each other. Thank you for holding my hand.
Sunny, gorgeous, thank you for letting me bug you with all my newbie author questions and endless need for advice. Love your face.
Ella Fox, I love that you read The Evolution of Sin without me even realizing it and I love that you are one of the most supportive friends I have but make absolute zero deal out of it. You rock.
Ella Fields, your gentle Australian voice in my ear each time you leave me a voicemail makes my day. I love your words, both in your books and to me over Facebook messenger.
I can’t list all of the book bloggers who make my day with their reviews and teasers but special thanks goes out to Sarah at Musings of a Book Belle, Ella at Honeyed Pages, Keri at Keri Loves Books, and the girls at Kinky Girls Book Obsessions.
Whenever I write about men, especially from a male perceptive, I draw on my decade long friendship with my boys: Chris, Devo, Jeff, Colin, Kevin and Alex. Thank you for teaching me how to love myself, for telling me that men love a body full of curves and a personality filled with edges. You have been my fathers, my brothers, and my best friends for over a decade and I am never afraid of the future knowing that you will be there for me for another seven decades at least.
Armie, my love sponge, thank you for putting up with me writing in the car while you drove, in the kitchen while you cooked and in bed at night when you were trying to sleep. I’ve spent the last six months nearly 24/7 with you and I couldn’t imagine anyone else willingly putting up with me for that long. Your friendship is the pillow I rest my head on at night, the strength in my spine and the convection in the sails of my dreams.
And last but never least, to the Love of My Life. Every single one of my love stories pales in comparison to the love you have given me the last ten years of our lives. Thank you for loving me and supporting me through everything we’ve been through. I promise I will never stop appreciating you.