Julie Titus from JT Formatting, your work is amazing. I understand why you are so highly recommended. Thank you for squeezing me in and answer my barrage of questions! You’ve made this whole process so easy and I’m so grateful for that.
Stacey Grice, you said, “SEND IT TO ME DAMMIT!” So I did. And I was terrified. But you have been such a force throughout this. From encouragement to random details that I never caught, I so appreciate you. Thank you for making sure Addison was always flowery fresh. Because, fine, you were right. But I hate Spanx so I wouldn’t even know that. *shrug* (And reader…read her book Totaled. Freaking awesome)
Megan Kapusta, girl, we have had some knock-down fights while beta reading together because we don’t see eye to eye at all! But damn girl…that’s exactly what I needed and you rose to the challenge. I’m so appreciative of your eye for detail and your honesty when you don’t like something. I love fighting with you while beta reading together!! Because it only makes things better in the end. Thank you my friend!
Dawn L Chiletz, I feel like you and I have gone through half of this process together and have learned so much just by sharing information! I’m so grateful for the support you have given me through this. Here’s to more stories and late nights trying to get the damn formatting to work!!! (She wrote “The Contest” y’all! You will love the characters!)
Jennifer Stiltner, thank you for checking all my Dallas facts. It’s hard living in a different city than the one you’re writing about! You are so much more fun to talk to than an online map! Next time I’m in Dallas, its hot tub night! Get ready!
Alabama, you eased my mind so many times during this process. Yes, I know I’m a freakazoid. But you were so kind to help me relax and make me not feel so crazy. This was scary!!! Thank you, girl. You will always be “that little slut, Shelly Collins” to me. (Yes, dear reader, she’s THAT little slut Shelly Collins from Tara Sivec’s book.)
Kaci Blue, I get you girl. And you need to know, you started this whole thing. You accepted my friend request, got to know me, and opened up a whole WORLD to me! This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t called Colleen a hooker for the world to see. I love you, dearly!!
Speaking of Colleen Hoover, I have no idea why you decided you like me, but I’m so proud that I am one of your 47, 345, 386 friends! Thank you for your amazing feedback. If you didn’t hate random acts of affection so much I would kiss all over your sweet little cheeks! I might do it anyway just to see how long it takes you to punch me. We’ll see. (I would tell you to read her books, reader, but if you haven’t already, we can’t be friends. GO GET THEM THEY ARE LITERARY GENIUS!)
Kathryn Perez, I love you so much. You, YOU….when you love someone you love them HARD. And it is so, so special that I’m one of the people that you love hard. I love you hard, too! Your wealth of knowledge, criticism where things needed to be different, arguing over the word penis, all of it was so, so beneficial. You, my friend, are a true gem. I heart you hard! (Dude, her book THERAPY….I cannot recommend it enough. It’s just brilliant)
A.E. Woodward, you were that person on the sidelines just waiting to be called onto the field. You were like Rudy. And just like Rudy, you didn’t disappoint me. Your feedback was critical in a critical moment. Thank you for being ready at a moment’s notice and feeding my ego even while you critiqued. I don’t think you even realize how importantl your feedback was. So thank you. (Reader…Kismet and Working Girl…read them. Just trust me.)
Kristin Delcambre and Megan Gunter…thank you for quintuple checking in the last seconds. I’m so glad you are fast readers and nit-picky!! You guys are the best!
To all the authors that have let me beta read for them: Beth Ehemann, Colleen Hoover, Kathryn Perez, Dawn L. Chiletz, Stacey Grice, Michelle Pace, LG Pace III, Brenda Rothert, Oh I hope I’m not forgetting someone…from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU! Whether I read for you once, or a dozen times, you taught me SO much about how the creative process works. You taught me the way author’s think. The way feedback can be helpful or not. The way a story starts in someone’s head and ends up on paper. I so hope I can continue working with each of you. You are some of my favorites and it is an honor to assist you as you write.
Finally, my husband and kids. I know you have no idea what is going on half the time when I get going and “disappear” for a while. But I hope that you see what I’ve done and are proud. You guys are my life. Even when I’m moody and stuck in my head or stuck on the computer or working hard for no money. I know I’m not perfect and I hope you can see past my flaws. Because my life would be nothing without you guys. You are my world. I love you more than life itself.