Bev Marshall, here is the acknowledgement you always wished for from one of your students. You taught me to write with my heart. I won’t ever forget that. I love you.
Bryan Camp, thank you for never laughing at any of my stories, not to my face anyway. Thank you for teaching me more than you ever realized. I haven’t wanted to punch you in the throat in a long, long while. You make me smile.
A book is born not by the single will of the individual writer, but by the community of the creatively minded. The idea is formed in the writer’s subconscious. It is her discipline, her aptitude for storytelling that engenders the embryo of a story. The editor nurtures that embryo, affixes it with reason and logic, with blood and bone that shapes it into being. This book would not have been possible without the careful consideration and gentle urging of Sharon B. Browning. She is, simply put, a writer’s dream reader. Without you, Sharon, this book would still be a glimmer in my eye, simply existing amid the depths of dead space on my hard drive. You made me a better writer and you made this book a reality. I am humbled by your generosity, by your incomparable ability to live inside a story and examine how it can be made better. Thank you for your friendship and your guidance. I’ve never loved anyone more for calling me a wimp.
Brady Allen brought Sharon to me. I still owe you a smooch for doing that, buddy. Kele Moon, my friend, my second favorite ginger ever, thank you for your invaluable, abundant advice, for your tireless patience when my questions and queries and requests for your opinion went on and on. You’re my soul sister and I am so grateful to you for your friendship and mentorship.
My most heartfelt gratitude goes out to Ryan Conner for being indie friendly and to Steven Novack for enduring my endless niggles about the cover. Thanks, Tee Morris for your advice and encouragement and that impressive way you navigate “The Humpty Dance” like a pro. The dance Autumn and her friends work at Fubar’s is all for you, Twin. Thanks to Tee and his talented bride Pip Ballantine for letting me borrow their characters. You two are the sweet cogs and turns in my heart. Thank you to Ashley Braud and Brandye Jagneaux for making me look like a real, live girl.
To my bints and betas: Karen Chapman (I cannot say thank you enough, hon, for everything!), K. Imani Tennyson, Judy Lovely, Amy Feldman, Shannon Veach, Allison Coburn, Angela Waites, Dr. Risie Preston, Emily Gould, Lesley LeBlanc, Christine Case-Lo, Christopher Ledbetter, Jessica Shamburger, Janette Meyers, Angie Dilmore, Franny Guillot, Leighanne Henegar Sisk, Sara King (thank you for the bathroom scene!) and Kelly Piraino Roberts. Your careful eyes meant so much to me, your friendship and encouragement means so much more. Sharon, Jess, Karen and Chris, you talked me off the ledge so many times. Thank you. I have since stopped eating Crazyflakes.
Karen Chapman, thank you for letting me read all your dirty books when famine time at work lingered and thanks for listening to me talk about this book until your eyes glazed over and for letting me pick your lovely brain about Mollie and her Marine for book two. Thank you to Andrew Spencer-Lee for not batting an eye when I requested vacation time to finish this book. You, sir, are cool, even though you’re afraid of the dark. Silly Canuck. Thank you, Christine Rose for holding my hand through this process.
Thank you to my Commandos, Joe Iriarte, Catherine Warren, Sarah Smith, Kristi Charish and Mary Daley for being patient with me while I wrote a smoochy book. Best. Critique. Group. Ever. And thank you, thank you for putting us together and for being such a damn rock star.
told me a while back to get off my ass and start writing and sending out my work more often. He’s bossy, but I listened. He is also responsible for “uppity bollocks” although he has a potty mouth and his version would be “bollix.” Thank you, buddy.
Thank you to for her insane marketing skills and for loving Declan after only a small tease and to all the wonderful, generous bloggers who reviewed and loved this book. And to Sarah Leal for cheering me along after one read. You folks are amazing. To my #WritersRoad family on Twitter, especially Heather McCorkle, thank you for your love and support. To my crew who endured my slacking while I got this book written. To my fellow grad students at Southeastern, thank you for getting me through some of the most challenging times in my life. Especially Michelle, G. David, Lauren, Amanda, Hope and Stacy. I miss our drunken debaucheries. I miss you even more.
Jay Lake, you will probably never read this book, but I want you to know that you are the bravest, most diligent writer I have ever known. You amaze me. I’m convinced you are a dark wizard who uses his powers to kick my butt at Scramble.
Thank you, Joss Whedon, for writing all the best Big. Damn. Heroes. and to the creators of all things I geek out over. These characters are for you.
Finally, I’d like to thank my family. My husband Chris does nothing less than help me live my dreams. He changed my stars and makes me feel like the luckiest bint alive. To my daughters, Trinity, Faith and Grace, thank you for your patience while your mom was in the zone and the world faded away and you still said you loved me and that you believed in me. You can’t read this book until I’m dead and you’re very, very old. To my sweet mama, I’m sorry about the cursing and I hope you still love me despite it. Thank you for teaching me to be a dreamer. To my brother and sister, thank you for your support even though you, too, are not allowed to read this book. To my niece Jennifer Jagneaux who squealed when I told her about the evil plot twist, I love you. You can read this book, but don’t tell your mom.
And to my daddy who I miss with every breath, with every thought. Declan speaks from the heart when he says that the knot in your gut at the thought of a lost parent never really goes away. We just learn how to live with it. I hope everyone who reads this book will be encouraged to support the . And wear purple. Wear the hell out of purple until this disease is eradicated.
Thank you all for reading.
I hope this doesn’t suck.