Acknowledgments
I used to think writing a book was the hardest thing I’d ever done. Yet, as I sit here trying to articulate just how thankful I am for all the people who have helped me and encouraged me on this journey, I realize I was very wrong. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. So please bear with me as I try to express my thanks—although, to be honest, there just aren’t words adequate enough to express my gratitude.
First and foremost, thank you to my heavenly father from whom all blessings flow. It is by his grace and his grace alone that I am standing here today.
To my incredible beta readers: Megan Addison, Cheryl Baker, Marlena Bell, Francesca Bartolomey, Brayden Fraser, Bethany Gallahair, Jessica Henderson, Adrienne Johnson, Claerie Kavanaugh, Mindy Kloka, Shannon Lane, Stephanie Mitchell, Kate Pilarsh, Rebekah Rose, Bobbie Stanley, Haley Street, Jamie Young, and Killian Zimmerman. Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to read my little book. Your enthusiasm meant so much to me, and I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your kind and constructive criticism. Thank you for treating Lainey, Maggie, and Ty with such care! You guys are the best!
To Summer Spence: Thank you for telling me that I was starting my book off in the wrong place! Your advice led to a complete rewrite and a new beginning that I love! I owe you a lifetime supply of Grey’s Anatomy hot doctor gifs!
To Dea Poirier: Thank you so much for helping me polish this book until it shone! Your excitement, encouragement, and feedback truly meant the world to me, and I cannot thank you enough for choosing me! You deserve every single gel pen and piece of Godzilla memorabilia in the world!
To Stephanie Fowler: Thank you so much for my beautiful author photos! I absolutely adore them and working with you is always so easy and so much fun. Thank you for your art and your friendship! You’re the best!
To Naomi Hughes: You were one of the first people to ever read Keeper, and bless your heart for that! Thank you for reading those early versions and seeing the potential buried underneath all the junk. Your encouragement and feedback not only helped mold Keeper into what it is today but gave me so much more confidence as a writer. Thank you so much, Naomi! I couldn’t have done it without you!
To Kate Angelella: I will forever be grateful to you for pushing me outside of my comfort zone. Without your help and advice, Keeper would likely still be written in third person and still be a hot mess. Thank you for your guidance, overwhelming kindness, support, and encouragement. I think the world of you, Kate!
To my amazing critique partners, J. M. Miller and Christine Danek: You read the earliest and crappiest drafts of this story and still encouraged me to keep going. I can never thank you enough for that! You not only helped me shape this story but you also helped shape me as a writer. Thank you for believing in me and this book!
Megan LaCroix: Without you, Lainey wouldn’t be who she is today. Thank you for helping make her as strong as I always envisioned her to be. I am so grateful to have connected with you, and aside from being an excellent critique partner, you’re an amazing friend. Thank you for everything!
Ashley Zarzaur: I can honestly say that this book would not exist if not for you. You have always believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. You helped me through the rough patches, talked me down from the ledge, and saved me from “the creepy car scene.” Thank you for your never-failing support, friendship, and encouragement.
To Mari Kesselring, Megan Naidl, and the team at Flux: Thank you so much for taking such wonderful care of me and my book! This experience has been a dream come true and I am SO grateful to all of you for taking a chance on me and Keeper. You helped make my dream come true!
To my editor, Reece Hanzon: Thank you for being an advocate and supporter of this book from the beginning. I cannot begin to tell you how truly grateful I am for your kindness and encouragement throughout this process. Working with you has been such a wonderful experience, and I am so thankful Keeper landed in your hands. Thank you for helping me turn my dream into a reality.
To my amazing agent, Caitlen Rubino-Bradway: You changed my life the day you offered me representation, and I will never stop being grateful to you for taking a chance on me. Thank you so much for being so encouraging and supportive and for working so hard to make sure Keeper found a home. I couldn’t ask for a better agent, and I hope you know how wonderful I think you are! Also, thank you to Lauren Galit, whose behind-the-scenes efforts have not gone unnoticed. And I haven’t forgotten that I owe you both pie!
To Mom, Dad, and Amiee: I couldn’t ask for a better family! Thank you for always encouraging me to go for my dreams and for always believing in me. Your love and support are everything to me, and I hope I make you proud!
To my beautiful children, Shiloh, Harlee, and Rhys: Thank you so much for sharing mommy with the writing world. I love you more than life itself, and I want this book to always be a reminder that dreams can and do come true! Always reach for the stars, my darlings!
To Jim: My love, you are everything. I thank God every day that you chose me and continue to choose me every single day. You are my life’s greatest blessing, and I will never be able to put into words how much I love you or how grateful I am to have you by my side. Thank you for never letting me quit and for always believing that I could do this. Thank you for taking on more than your fair share of kid duty so that I could write and for always being willing to talk through plot holes, writer’s block, and self-doubt with me. Thank you for being you and for being absolutely everything to me. The Big C always! I love you!