by Anne Eliot
Cheerleaders, the people who love books, and the people who love romance: FIRST, to the awesomeness that IS the community found at Goodreads.com and Shelfari.com There is no better fun online than hanging, checking out books and meeting readers.
A special huge heart and hug goes to the little stack of emails, notes
THE THANK YOU LIST:
There are so many people to mention here, but first and always, I have to thank my family. My sweet husband Tom, my beautiful daughter Kika, my wild-child Wilson plus all six of my parents: Louise and Louis Nelson, Chuck and Connie Powers, Bob and Jackie MacFarlane. Again, thanks for your love, patience and support.
The Book Makers Crew and Teen Reading Advisory Girls: Artists Peter Freedman & Katja Kulenkampff, the best editor/readers in the world: Tracie Schultz, Lana Williams, Michelle Major, Lara Hunter & Kika MacFarlane for the long hours of devotion to Hunter’s commas. To the crew who found me ‘the right Hunter’: Kika again, Saoirse O’Connor— esp. you and your constant, cute red cheeks. Kimmie Stattman, Mackenzie Weller, yaromance.com girls, tweet masters and great friends, who along with Kylie Nash looked at proofs and pages, and for making sure I did not choose the ‘OTHER’ cover photo that made you all scream in horror. To Becca, Maddie D., Maddie J., Katie P., Valerie, Anahid, Greta from far away Germany. <3
To sweet Keva O’Connor, Katy Offen, Kylie Nash again and Sammy Loew for braving the first proofs and making me feel confident enough to hit 'publish'. What would I do without all of you being part of my life? I am so lucky to know you all. A special shout out to Jenna and Sydne Shattuck who were the first to know Hunter so many years ago even before Almost. Jenna, remember when you threw the pages and got so mad after 'the kiss'? HA! Now you are in both books. Happy? Syd, you’re next. You girls all rock. Always. Again. Forever.
To the amazing Jeff Bezos, Jon Fine and ALL who work for all of us at Amazon.com, CreateSpace, and the crew at Kindle Direct Publishing. Your work, your store, your easy publishing tools, PlugIns, devotion to making this easier for the writers to write--and the readers to discover the books they want--plus your unmatched customer service is so appreciated. Thanks for being in my dream-come-true. For letting me hold my books in my hands, and keep them on my phone and Kindle reader! I can never repay how happy you’ve made me feel. Also, thanks for creating a store consumers trust and for making the awesome Kindle products that allow so many easy access to great reading in so many ways. THANK YOU. You’ve changed my small world while ever changing how the planet reads, buys and writes books. #grateful #kindle #amreading #FF @amazon
To my agent, Jane Dystel at DGLM.com, for signing me, believing in change and making another dream come true for me in NYC.
Cheerleaders, the people who love books, and the people who love romance: FIRST, to the awesomeness that IS the community found at Goodreads.com and Shelfari.com There is no better fun online than hanging, checking out books and meeting readers.
A special huge heart and hug goes to the little stack of emails, notes
and addresses I’ve kept next to my computer all these months. Thank you Eva Segerblom, Thessa LaJoice, Laura Wells—tweet-cheering me on for those last edits—THANKS. To: Adriane Boyd, Tasha Winters, Amanda Tuzi, Casey/C.J.- :) Melissa Rodriguez-Wyer, Amanda-writer The inspiring Mrs. B/Joy. #FF @joyousreads, Diana Ivonne, Jennifer Halligan #FF @bookandlatte for getting me to Romantic Times. And from Indonesia blogger, Putri Utama! I’m so grateful to have met you all! <3!
And always: Sharon, Jenna and Sydne. I miss you so much. Giovanna and Elmer. There are no words for how much I love you. Masha Koyusheva daughter and sister who stole our hearts back to Russia, come back.
The MacFarlanes, Nelsons, Dawkins esp MC <3, All Mercados, The Sfalcins, C.J. <3, McDonalds, Hemphills, Carla P., Grandos/Nespolos/Tiabis, O’Connors, Nashs, Covingtons, Woods, Farquhars, Rheas, Wellers, Litvacks, Loews, Rothschilds, THE Wilsons, Brodys/McKeevers, Stattmans, Offens, Barrs/Austins--Anna n Emily, Gardners, Rileys, Drapers, Beauvais girls <3, Kraemers n Clarks n Hubreds who all moved. :( And neighbor Clarks! <3 Anna in NYC, The D’Oria family, the Powers Clan, the coolest teachers and administrators at AACL n AAHS Mr. Madsen and Mathnasium with extra hugs to Tessa Paul, Teresa Brown, Constance Ricotta, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Jesse, Miss O, Miss Helen, Miss Cooper, and Miss Olson. Without you teachers, this book would not exist. And you know why. His name is Wilson. xo #LOVEuTEACHERS xox to Don my mailman too! You guys are the best!
I have to mention Geoff Foley and Deb Walker! xo DOUBLE THX.
Illy and Tim Horton’s coffee. The sweet people at my neighborhood Chipotle, Noodles, Keva Juice and PeiWei. Without you, my family would starve. Ella James & Beth Balmanno my 4ever Amazon ‘free list’ launch buddies who work so hard and write so well. Carolyn Thomas my first librarian who shelved me in the YMCA Snow Mountian Ranch Library! The Burren in Co Clare, Katy Perry and The Avett Brothers for the brain dreaming spaces. Joseph Campbell always. Ever a kiss for my awesome lost-book-club friends, All at Celtic Steps <3 and the Irish Dance moms and sweet dancers who were all around me while I wrote this. #missuguys! Ladies in the neighborhood coffee groups—the Foothills Pool gang, Betsy at OLIVER’s DELI (and Justin)! The Colorado College friends and neighbors I don’t have room to list. This book was written around the years we’ve shared our lives. Thanks everyone, so much, for cheering me along this journey.
My writer hearts: Lana Williams, Michelle Major, Cindi Madsen, Jennie Marts, Deanna Knippling, Marty Banks, Jodi Anderson, Donna Koppleman. I love how you all never gave/never give up writing.
Hugs to the ‘Indie Pub Lunch Group’ and to the Sunday SCBWI SoCO members, the Pikes Peak Library District and the awesome ladies who are my fellow members of Pikes Peak Writers, and Romance Writers of America, RWA. #amediting #amwriting.
