Barbara Wolfe. I said, “What would Live Me be without you?” Your response, “What would I be without Live Me? I shudder at the thought.” And, there it is. To my editing buddy. No one knows that you saw almost as many edits as me with this book. You wore so many different hats in creating this, I don’t know what to call you. CP? Beta? Editor? Connoisseur? Whatever your title, you’re fabulous and my lifeline and lifesaver. What you mean to me can’t be put into words. #pound.
Jena Mason Campbell. Oh, Jena. My cheerleader. You have fought for this book with some heavy gloves, girl. God puts people in your life for a reason and I truly believe you’re meant to be in mine. Who would’ve thought one random day I decided I needed more betas and threw a post up on a forum I didn’t even know how to work, I’d get an “I’m willing” email from someone who would become so important in my life and in shaping my baby? I treasure you and can’t wait to keep working with you.
Heather Carver, what would Live Me be without Heather? Not sure since you helped me plot so much of it. You lived and breathed these characters almost as much as I did and could see their next moves sometimes more clearly than me, their creator. I’m so happy to have found you. You’re irreplaceable and passionate and I wouldn’t want to do this without you. Now on to book two! Expect a phone call.
To Heather Carver, Roxie Madar, Jena Campbell, Danielle Renee, Danielle Plane, Jennifer Diaz, Cassie Baker Fite, and Trisha Rai, my beta chicks, Thank you for reading and for your help and words of encouragement. I loved how you loved Live Me and how eager you were to help even with small changes. I can’t wait for you to read book two! Love you, ladies.
A special thanks to my firsts, Heather, Roxie, and Jena. You’re with me for life now. “Now, you can’t leave.” I love you girls. Thank you for loving Blake and Eva even when you didn’t love pieces of them or things that they did. They love you right back.
Megan Hand, you complete me. And my sentences. Live Me would have been more hollow without your skilled eye and attention to the little things. In so many ways, we are so much alike. Thank you for going back and forth with me and finding the right story for Blake and Eva, and for your finishing touches.
Jennifer Roberts-Hall, foot-to-toot? What does that mean? I’m still not sure, lol. You’re a gem. Your ability to slice and slash and dice is unsurpassed. You took this wordy bitch and attacked it with your samurai sword and I truly believe the finished product is a lot cleaner and easier to read because of you. Thank you for looking at the same thing seventy-five times and never complaining.
I need to pause because just writing this is making me realize how many people made Live Me their own and truly did love these characters. From texting or calling or emailing me asking for this to happen (or not to happen) to these characters. To random messages about ideas, these characters are not only real to me, but to so many of you. To that I am just amazed and humbled and a million thank yous.
Gail McHugh, Thank you for taking the time to talk to a scared nobody and for prettying my words at times. Your encouragement and guidance means more than you’ll ever know. Five hours on Christmas Eve is no joke to an Italian! I bow to you. And Live Me is especially grateful that because of you she kept her beautiful name. I truly feel what started as a fan-girl moment has blossomed into a friendship, and I am forever grateful for that.
To my Indie Chicks Rock girls. You know you do. Your daily messages and words of inspiration are what keep me going most days. I can’t say you don’t know what it means, because you do. You all do. We are solid. Each one holding up the other at different points and to different degrees. You are all sister souls of mine and I can’t wait to see where we go with this. (Cue Gold Girls song).
Barbara, Eleanor, Elisabeth, Faith, Livia, Niecey, Ruthie. “We started from the bottom now we’re here!” Besides the fact that you rock, you girls have been my rock. If anyone ever saw those conversations, eh? Though it stinks they’ve dwindled, I hold all of you near and dear to my heart. You’re each special to me and the bond we’ve created can never be replaced. Till we meet on a beach somewhere. Floppy hats for life!
Niecey Roy, my “Go-to girl”. How many times have you tried to save my ass even though you’re busy as hell? I love your willingness to help and your selflessness. You’re going to find your zen one day and when you do . . . take me with you, lol. I love you, girl.
Najla Quamber of Najla Quamber Designs, your patience is unsurpassed. Thank you for my beautiful cover, and for sticking by what is the indecisive ridiculousness of me. And for working with me last minute on a new cover. You’re a true gem and an artist and incredible at what you do. This cover is amazing because of you.
Lorie Rebecca of Lorie Rebecca Photography, you’ve saved my ass and restored my faith in humanity. You, my dear, are true to your word and a dying breed. Your willingness to do anything you had to has me floored. You’re a beautiful person and you’re passionate about your work and the images you create. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. And thank you for giving Live Me a chance and connecting on a deeper level.
To Kristianna DeBlasio and Harlee Tanner Bartlett, thank you for being the gorgeous faces of Eva and Blake. You guys were amazing especially so last minute making the effort to get together for me for this amazing shoot.
So many have stepped in to calm the beast when I hit panic mode. Reading pieces, commenting or just giving general “that’s normal” advice. My biggest, BA Wolfe, Jena Campbell, Heather Carver, Niecey Roy, Gia Riley, Faith Andrews, and Gail McHugh. Love you girls.
Julie Deaton, thank you for using your keen eye to find all of my leftover boo-boos and for making my first born book baby prettier. And thank you for your patience when I held you off ten times because I just couldn’t get her finished!
To my formatter, Christine of Perfectly Publishable, thank you for accommodating my timeline and for making my baby so pretty. The final product surpassed what I ever thought it could and it’s beautiful.
To Xpresso Blog Tours, thank you for making my cover reveal, blog tour, and release day blitz phenomenal! You’re awesome at what you do and I look forward to working with you on future projects.
To all of the blogs and bloggers and Facebook groups out there who pimped my page, shared my links and teasers, you have no idea how grateful I am for all of your support. For helping this newbie any way you could and taking a chance on me. Thank you! I owe a multitude of thanks to each and every one of you who post, share, like and promote me and authors like me. We wouldn’t be where we are if it weren’t for your help and kindness. Kisses to each and every one of you.
Lastly, to all of the readers, friends, family and random strangers who offered support and shared excitement, thank you. None of you went unnoticed.
Cupcakes for everyone!
XO
C
Angel ~ Sarah McLachlan
Heart Attack ~ Demi Lovato
Eye of the Tiger ~ Survivor
Lightweight ~ Demi Lovato
Blackbird ~ Sarah McLachlan
Possession ~ Sarah McLachlan
Kryptonite ~ Three Doors Down
Happy ~ Pharrell Williams
My Own Worst Enemy ~ Lit
Livin on a Prayer ~ Bon Jovi
All of Me ~ John Legend
I Want You to Want Me ~ Cheap Trick
Angel ~ Aerosmith
Home ~ Phillip Phillips
Vogue ~ Madonna
A Hard Day’s Night ~ The Beatles
Warrior ~ Demi Lovato
Let It Go ~ Demi Lovato
Celeste Grande grew up loving words. From an early age, it was easy for her to open her heart through pen and paper and come away with something poetic. She never thought anything more than releasing her emotions would come of it though. A workaholic that can’t keep still, in her ‘real’ life, she’s a Certified Public Accountant who dreams of writing sexy books all day long. When she isn’t working, she’s reading, writing, mommying and being a wifey to the love of her l
ife. She lives in New York, and is still putting pen to paper. Live Me, a new adult romance, is her debut novel.
www.celestegrande.com
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Celeste Grande is a proud member of the Indie Chick’s Rock group. If you haven’t found them yet, you can find them here: Indie Chicks Rock on Facebook and www.indiechicksrock.com
#IndieChicksRock #FollowTheMovement
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