I’ve said in the last couple of books that this part gets harder each time, and I’m here to tell you — that’s still true.
There were SO MANY hands that went into the making of this duet, and I don’t think there are words to truly explain how grateful I am to every single person who has been a part of this process. This was my most aggressive writing schedule, my most intense edit, and — in the end — my best work to date (in my opinion). That would not be true if it weren’t for all the loving (and critical) people who held my hand in this journey.
Let me start by thanking you — the reader — whether you are a book blogger, a writer, or just someone who inhales books like oxygen, as Charlie would say. I know it was scary taking a chance on this duet. For some of you, angst and emotional romances scared the living hell out of you. For others, it was the horror of having to wait two weeks between installments. And, even if you did love angst and torture (like me), you still had to trust me to take you on a love triangle ride, knowing there was a possibility that your guy wouldn’t win. I truly hope that no matter which “team” you were on, you were happy with the ending. And THANK YOU for trusting me and taking a chance on my duet. Your reviews and messages are what get me through the hard days.
I love you all so, so much.
To Staci Brillhart, thank you for putting up with me when I had a complete meltdown during the editing process of book one. I knew every critical thing you had for me was valid, but I still needed you to hug me while I spent hours and hours making those changes. You were always there to talk me through scenes and pet my hair when the days were long and I was tired. Because of you, book one is better than it ever could have been had you not been a part of this process. Thank you for being my friend always and my mentor as a bonus. I love you.
Karla Sorensen and Kathryn Andrews, both of you were also critical voices in this. As two ladies who LOATHE triangles and cheating, you helped me make this duet something more than just a series for the “angst-lovers.” I appreciate all your guidance, your feedback, your words of encouragement and your suggestions. More than that, I appreciate your never-ending love and friendship. Thank you.
I have to send out a huge thank you to Brittainy C. Cherry, my forever ride or die. Thank you for cheering me on, for sharing the struggles with me along the way, and for making me laugh when my anxiety was threatening to pull me under. I truly can’t think of a single other person in this world who understands me the way you do, and I value our friendship more than words can say. Friends who slay together… ;)
To all of my incredible beta readers: Kellee Fabre, Monique Boone, Sarah Green, Danielle Lagasse, Ashlei Davison, Jess Vogel, Maegan Abel, Trish QUEEN MINTNESS, and Sahar Bagheri — YOU. ARE. THE. TITS. I don’t know if I’m aloud to write that in my acknowledgements, but I am, because it’s my book and I said so. Seriously, WOW. What a ride we had this time around, #amiright? Not only did many of you read multiple versions of each book, but you also waited (maybe not so patiently) for more from me when I left you at the worst spots. I mean, readers think they had it rough with a two week wait — if they only knew your pain as you waited MONTHS. I cannot say how much you helped shape this duet. Thank you for all your time, feedback, and love. I have the BEST team.
And to Sasha Erramouspe, thank you for being my last minute “Charlie” reader who reviewed the manuscripts after all the beta changes were made. Your feedback was crucial and so, so appreciated. I just adore you. Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness on this project!
To my momma and my best friend, Sasha Whittington, I thank both of you for always being there and cheering me on with my writing. Even if you do it from a distance, you’re always there pushing me to do better and reach higher. I think you both get more excited on release days than I do LOL. I love you both so much.
There is a whole team behind my books that really make them as successful as they can be, and I feel like just writing a thank you in here isn’t enough. You all deserve medals. To Elaine York, my editor and formatter, thank you for making my words prettier and for bringing the feeling of this duet to life with the gorgeous formatting. I always love working with you, but this time around you were absolutely invaluable with how flexible you were timing-wise. To my agent, Flavia, thank you for hustling as hard as I do. It’s so comforting and refreshing to know you have my back. Then, there’s the team at Social Butterfly PR. Nina, Chanpreet, and Hilary, you ladies have made this duet release everything that it is. Thank you for your hard work, your loving messages, your support, and your guidance. And, last but not least, thank you to Lauren Perry of Perrywinkle Photography for, yet again, bringing my vision for the covers to life. Your work is amazing and I’m so happy I get to continue to work with you.
Thank you to my tribe, my peoples, and especially to the ones that dried my tears at the writing retreat in January. You guys were there with me through the most intense edit of my life, and it’s thanks to you that I felt inspired and motivated enough to keep going.
I’d like to give a special shout out to Angie McKeon for pushing this duet SO HARD. Your love for it absolutely inspired others to take a chance on it, and that word-of-mouth love is invaluable. I can’t thank you enough.
To #MysteryMan, I only wish I could tell you how much your support has meant to me. From rubbing my shoulders after long days of writing to checking in on my goals and pushing me on the days I felt like quitting, you have shown me what TRUE love and support looks like. You inspired me when you didn’t even know it, and knowing you would be there for me whether this duet succeeded or failed miserably made it easier to keep going. I don’t know what our future holds, but I do know that my life is forever changed for the better by having known you, and having been loved by you.
And of course, I have to thank Pocket. Because if I don’t, she’ll aggressively meow at me while I try to sleep and knock bottles of water off my nightstand onto my computer. So, meow meow, I love you, thanks for not judging me when I don’t shower for days during writing deadlines.