I have to admit, sometimes I don’t put acknowledgements in my book. Usually because I’m on such a tight deadline that by the time I type the end, I can’t physically type another word. Or it’s because I’ve written so many books that it begins to feel redundant, thanking the same people over and over again and saying the same old stuff.

But you know what? People deserve to be thanked and all books deserve a little wrap-up at the end. And I’m writing this half-way through the book. Hey, it’s nice to have a little break.

Maverick was an interesting book for me. I’d come up with the concept over a year ago and always planned for Maverick to be the first book in the North Ridge series. But things happened beyond my control and I decided to put Wild Card up first.

Wild Card was a hard book for me. It really was. Overly emotional stories and I just aren’t working this year (hello 2017!) and I really wanted to do Shane and Rachel’s story justice. I wanted to make it feel real, I wanted to have a level of respect for that couple and all that they had gone through. I ended up rewriting Wild Card three times, which rarely happens with me. THANKFULLY, when I say rewrite, I mean I just rewrote the plot. That’s another plus for those like me who outline their novels, I only had to rejiggle the outline and not the actual book!

But while Wild Card and conjuring up all that angst and emotion was a challenge for me as a writer, Maverick was the opposite. Some books come easy, some books come hard (ha!), and Maverick was easy as pie from the start. Light and fluffy and sexy—it’s a trifecta I’m really feeling at the moment.

Maverick, as some of you may know, was actually pushed back twice. Sorry about that. But it had nothing to do with what I was actually writing, more to do with poor planning on my behalf. I was traveling—either road-tripping down the West Coast in my egg (trailer) or traipsing through southern France and then Seattle—for most of the book. Sometimes I can travel and write with no problem (see The Play and the fact that I wrote half that monster in a van in New Zealand). Sometimes I just want to focus on my life, on the traveling, on my husband, on my friends, and not in the make-believe world of the book. It just depends.

And then the world started to go to shit (I’m hoping you’re not reading this from a bunker), and that threw a wrench into my plans too. So with Maverick it was, the World 1, Karina 0.

But hey. Everything happens for a reason. I’ve had a year to think about this book, I’d been dwelling on it and plotting it for months, so by the time I got back home and life stabilized itself for a bit, I was ready. I was more than ready.

I won’t tell you how fast I was able to write Maverick because I think that takes away some of the magic, but it was the fastest I’ve ever written a book. And there wasn’t a moment that I was like, “Oh shit, is this even humanly possible? How can I write so much in such a short amount of time?” I didn’t even think that. I just knew I would get it done. I just had this peace that told me I was going to be fine. I would do it and there was no use worrying about it. I have to tell you, that confidence doesn’t happen with every book. But it happened with this one.

Of course, actually getting words down quickly doesn’t mean much if the book is complete shit. And while I might be halfway down right now, I can tell you, this book isn’t shit. I mean, you may think so and that’s cool, but me? I LOVE IT. I love writing Maverick and Riley. They have chemistry in spades and I just want to hang out with them, look at them. Especially when I see my muses Chris Pine/Evans (with beard!) as Mav and Ireland Basinger Baldwin as Riley. Who doesn’t love to picture hot people fucking? Just me?

Anyway, this book came easily to me and even caught me by surprise. I’ve never really written a gorgeous, sex-positive, straight-forward, man-hungry heroine like Riley before (maybe Kayla in The Play) and I had a lot of fun watching Mav trying to hold himself back from her. I have to admit, when your characters feel real, their actions will surprise you and I had no idea that Mav wouldn’t give into her right away (talk about blue balls) but I’m glad he held off. It made their coupling that much more special.

So that’s the story about Maverick. I had a great time writing it and I hope it provided a good, fun and sexy escape for you. And hey, that cabin scene was totally worth it, right?

Now time for the thanking. This time I have a huge list of people. How fun!

Okay, so I was in France for most of this book, so I have to thank all the authors and pals who were there. Some of you, like Melanie Harlow or Jay Crownover and Ali Hymer, were great at letting me shoot the shit about the book (mainly, do I push back the release again?!), others just influenced me by just being there and being awesome. Like KA Tucker & Anna Todd (and her bear). Colleen Hoover, Brittany Cherry, Monica James, CLo (Christina Lauren), Vi Keeland, Sarina Bowen, RK Lilley, Chris Lilley, Lexi Ryan, Alessandra Torre, Audrey Carlan, Geneva Lee, Pam Godwin and Tijan.

Then came time for the Write or Die retreat in Seattle and even though I was there to give a presentation on outlining and how I use screenwriting to plot my books, I ended up learning so much from all the authors, aspiring or not. So thank you to Rachel Hollis, SL Jennings, Dina Silver, Jen Sterling, Willow Aster, Kim Lorraine, my PR guru Jen Watson, Christine Estevez. And of course, Tarryn Fisher.

Thank you to Nina Decker for her beta skills (she’s good, you guys), Mary Ruth for her wonderful teasers, Sandra for being an ear, Laura Helseth and Roxane Leblanc for quick, super-last-minute editing. Nina Grinstead for being on the ball, making me promote this dang book and keeping my life in order.

Last but never least, my husband Scott Mackenzie, who is in this writing journey with me every step of the way. And for trying to take me seriously while I poked my head in the bathroom as he was brushing his teeth and excitedly described in detail the “ropes” sex scene with Mav & Riley, whilst wearing a face mask (Ole Henriksen Hygge Hyrdaclay Detox Mask, for those wondering) and a crazy expression on my face. You’re always able to see beneath the crazy and I thank you for that!

Oh and thank you Depeche Mode. As a long-time fan, your music has always influenced my writing and this time, Delta Machine and Spirit became the fuel for this book. If you can listen to “Cover Me” during the last chapter, please do so.

PS just a reminder that Hot Shot (previously titled Loose Cannon), Fox and Del’s story, will be releasing in January and there should be preorder links out at all retailers by the time you read this.