by Hazel James
To the Happy Hour gang, y’all ROCK! I’m so glad I get to share this corner of the Interwebs with so many awesome people.
To my early readers—Karen Allen, Tara Genova, Miriam Green, Julie Hardy, Lisa Marie, Gina Mary, Ali Montoya, Kearsie Murphy, and Alicia Neil, thank you for your feedback and encouragement. That alone is worth its weight in gold. (And Ali, thank you for my hug!)
Tatiana Hardy, thanks for helping me keep it real at the end. Muah!
Jennifer Van Wyk at JaVa Editing, thanks for polishing this turd! You’re a delight to work with, and I’ll Be the One is a better book because of your edits. And I’m really sorry for making you cry. Mostly sorry. Okay, not sorry at all. Hahahaha!
Kay Springsteen, thank you for your eagle eyes! You’re so great at what you do.
Sofie Hartley at Luminos Graphics, thank you for the beautiful cover and graphics (and for dealing with my nitpicky ass). I love them all so much.
Elaine York with Allusion Graphics, LLC, thank you for the finishing touches that took this book to the next level.
To the phenomenal bloggers and friends who shared this book, God bless you. I owe each of you a Ring Pop and a Diet Coke. Thank you thank you thank you.
This book was a labor of love. I knew how the story ended before I ever started writing it, but it didn’t make the final chapters any easier. I love James with all of my heart and I was so sad to have to say goodbye to him. If you have a Derrick in your life, or know someone who does, please tell someone. It could make all the difference.
I’m a proud Army veteran, Army wife, and my greatest loves include my family, lip gloss, Diet Coke, and the beach. I believe 90s music is the cure for most bad moods and chocolate after 9 p.m. doesn’t count. I’m a self-professed bibliophile. If reading burned calories, I’d weigh -20 pounds. Hang out with me at facebook.com/realhazeljames.
Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud”
X Ambassadors “Unsteady”
Smashing Pumpkins “Ava Adore”
Kings of Leon “Sex on Fire”
Kings of Leon “Use Somebody”
Chris Stapleton “Tennessee Whiskey”
Ray LaMontagne “Trouble”
Lake Street Dive “Just Ask”
Charlie Puth “One Call Away”
Alexander Jean “Roses and Violets”
Meghan Trainor Feat. John Legend “Like I’m Gonna Lose You”
Half Moon Run “Need It”
You Me at Six “Cold Night”
You Me at Six “Carpe Diem”
You Me at Six “Wild Ones”
Imagine Dragons “Bleeding Out”
Death Cab for Cutie “What Sarah Said”