IT’S DONE! I can’t believe it! I actually finished this book, and I did it while sitting on a plane, flying back to Guam all the way from Sacramento—well, technically I’m flying to Hawaii right now, then I’ll be heading to Guam after. Anyway, I did it!
It took me over a year to complete this book, because 2017 has been the most challenging year of my life and military career. I never imagined going through what I had to go through this year, and now that I’ve persevered and fought my way through it by finishing this novel, I’m very proud of what I’ve done.
I started the year by getting a military assignment to a place my family and I had no desire to go to, and then was scheduled for spinal surgery in April. I had to put my whole life on hold, obviously, and going through that surgery was the worst pain I’ve ever felt, and the recovery was six months long!
After the surgery, my wife had to help me in and out of bed, and on and off the toilet. She had to help me put on my pants and my socks, and for a little while, even my shirts. I couldn’t have done it without her, and that is not an overstatement at all. I needed her with me, and absolutely could not have made it through that surgery without her. So, my first acknowledgement has to go my wife for always being everything I need her to be. She was my ride or die through that whole ordeal, and I’m thankful I have her in my life as a wife, partner, and best friend. I love you, Roxanne. Thank you for holding me down when I couldn’t lift myself up. And thanks for helping me to make Reina awesome as well. We didn’t get to do this project together like we planned, but we do them all “together.” I love you, baby.
I have to thank my kids big time for this one. I’ve been working on this book for so long, and after the surgery, I had to force myself to get back into the groove of writing. I knew this book was going to be my best and longest, and writing characters like Solomon and Reina required a certain type of environment. So, I had to close the door to my room and lock them out for at least an hour a day, so that I could get into the right headspace to become a villain. I appreciate their support so much, and they never ask me to quit what I’m doing to hang with them. They let me work hard so that we can have more in this life, and I appreciate that very much, because I’ve always been a very ambitious person. Sitting around and doing nothing just doesn’t work for me. I have to be grinding away at something, striving to become bigger and better, and my family is more than supportive. So, thank you, Janae and Justin, for letting me work and write my dopest book ever! Janae, I said you could read this one, and I’ll keep my word. I hope you enjoy it, because you and your brother helped me write it without doing a thing. Thank you!
Next, I have to thank my parents. My mom and dad have always only wanted the best for me, and I’ve probably pissed them off by doing things they don’t agree with, saying things they don’t agree with, and not believing in things that they hold dear. But being a parent isn’t about forcing your kids to follow whatever you’re doing. It’s being supportive of the path your kids choose, and my parents have been just that. They know how hard I hustle, and they know I get stressed dealing with it and my military career, but they’re always there for me to talk to. Every time we get on the phone, we get caught up and end up talking for much longer than we intended, but that’s because we’re more than just son and parents. We’re friends. So, thank you, Mom and Dad, for always being there when I need you. I’ve been gone a long time, I know. I regret that, and I appreciate you not always being in my ear about it. You’ve just sat back and waited for my grind to pay off, and it has. Me and the fam will be back soon, and we have a lot of catching up to do. I love you guys!
Shawn, my one and only brother, I love you, man! We don’t get to spend enough time together, homie. Like I said before, I’m writing this on the plane leaving Sacramento, so we just hung out for a weekend for the first time in nearly three years since that quick Vegas trip. We’ve missed so much of each other’s lives, and that sucks! Neither of us knows our families as much as we should, and when I get back to the states, we’re gonna freakin’ kick it, man! All of us. I want to know my nephew better, and you need to know your niece and nephew better too. So, get ready to hang out next year! Love you, big bro!
I have some really amazing friends who I’ve met online over the years—far too many to name, but I just really want to thank my book friends and fans who’ve been waiting for me to come back from the dead this year. Sorry I didn’t answer your messages when you hit me up on my birthday. You dropped messages in my inbox and I didn’t reply because I was toughing out a very rough part of my life, but even then, I appreciated you reaching out to ask how I was doing. That means a lot. Seriously. Thank you for your continued support. I hope this book was worth the wait!
Of course I have to thank my cover designer, Robin Harper, for doing it big for book number ten! This cover is so crazy. Seriously, I did a lot of comparisons when we finalized it, and there just isn’t anything out there that can hold a candle to what we put together on this one. I know it’s a combination of both of our ideas and creativity, and that just means that this process could be so much harder if I had to do it with someone else. I’m super picky, but you always give me exactly what I want, and this cover is no exception. It’s amazing, Robin, really. You’re a genius, and I’m glad I found you back in 2013. Thanks again, and you’re already on deck for book number eleven!
I gotta shout out my interior designer, the best in the game, Christine Borgford! With you, I don’t even have to do anything! I just trust that you’re gonna come in and kill it, and you do, every single time. These novels are my babies, and you help bring them to life on the inside after Robin makes them pop on the outside. Thank you for always fitting me into your schedule and getting files back to me on time. I can never stop myself from panicking about it, but you’ve yet to let me down even once. You’re worth every penny!
Lastly, I’m gonna shout out someone who hasn’t been born yet. The wife and I have a baby on the way! I actually don’t even know if you’re a boy or a girl yet, but I can’t wait for you to get here! It shocks me that we decided to have another baby after all this time, but I don’t regret it at all. I love you already, and can’t wait to meet you. We’ve got a pretty dope life all set up and waiting for you!
Until next time, book fans. I’ll try not to be gone for too long this time! Thanks for reading!