Rising

by Laurelin Paige

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  Slay Series - Edward and Celia

  Rivalry | Ruin | Revenge | Rising

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  Slash - Camilla and Hendrix

  Let’s stay in touch!

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  Visit www.laurelinpaige.com to find out more about me and all my books.

  Also by Laurelin Paige

  Visit my website for a more detailed reading order.

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  Man in Charge Duet

  Man in Charge - October 2020

  Man in Love - November 2020

  The Dirty Universe

  Dirty Filthy Rich Boys - READ FREE

  Dirty Duet: Dirty Filthy Rich Men | Dirty Filthy Rich Love

  Dirty Games Duet: Dirty Sexy Player | Dirty Sexy Games

  Dirty Sweet Duet: Sweet Liar | Sweet Fate

  Dirty Filthy Fix (a spinoff novella)

  Dirty Wild Trilogy: Wild Rebel Coming 2021

  First and Last

  First Touch | Last Kiss

  Hollywood Standalones

  One More Time

  Close

  Sex Symbol

  Star Struck

  Written with Sierra Simone

  Porn Star | Hot Cop

  Written with Kayti McGee under the name Laurelin McGee

  Miss Match | Love Struck | MisTaken | Holiday for Hire

  Acknowledgments and Author’s Note

  When I said I wanted to write a series for Celia, I got more than a few people complaining. Why on earth would I want to take my most hated character from my most popular series (a very popular series, at that) and make her the heroine? It didn’t make sense to most readers, and from a business stand point, it was probably even more of a risk. To be honest, I didn’t know if I could afford to devote a year to a project that might very well get skipped by most readers.

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  So why did I choose to pursue this silly, insane idea?

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  In answer, I’d like to share the bulk of a blog post I wrote earlier this year:

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  When I first started talking about writing the Slay books, people told me I was crazy.

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  Not just one or two people, mind you. Dozens and dozens of comments, emails, private messages. My agent questioned whether it was a good idea. One of my closest beta readers said she’d read anything I wrote, but did it have to be her?

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  I was pretty sure, based on feedback, that if it had been a man I wanted to redeem, I would have had much less backlash. A good deal of romance is based on a not-so-good hero becoming a better man. There are far fewer stories where a not-so-good heroine is redeemed.

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  I put off the idea for several years because of the blatant display of disinterest, but all the while the story brewed in my head. Partly because I’m that type of person that when you tell me I’m crazy to do something, I just want to do it more. I’m a challenge-authority kind of gal. The writer who likes to flip tropes on their head. The woman who consistently responds with, “Let’s just see about that.”

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  If it had just been my stubborn streak, though, I would have abandoned the project. I’m the sole provider for my family, and I’m smart enough to realize that writing a story that my readers don’t want is not the wisest business decision.

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  But it was more than being stubborn that brought me back time and time again to Celia Werner’s story. She fascinated me as a character. She’d done mean things to good people, things that I see play out in less dramatic ways in the real world, and I couldn’t stop wondering why she would do that. What compelled her? What drives people—what drives women—to hurt others?

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  Lots of reasons came up as I continued to mull over it, but one answer spoke loudest from the crowd—she was broken. People hurt others because they are broken. Women hurt others because they’ve been broken.

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  So very often, those women have been broken by men.

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  In today’s culture, that felt like a very important topic for me to explore. Especially when I tend to write alpha men with qualities that are often associated with toxic masculinity in the real world. It seemed relevant to differentiate masculine from machismo. In other words, differentiate men who are strong, courageous, and assertive from men who use their strength, courage and assertiveness to hold power over women.

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  Besides the aptness, Celia’s story was completely on brand. Because broken people finding love—specifically dangerously broken people finding love—is exactly what Laurelin Paige books are all about.

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  And so I got brave.

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  I focused in on what it would take to tell such a complicated story. I decided to make it possible to read this series and enjoy it without ever reading any of my other books. I freaked out a little when I realized it would need to be four books (oh-my-goodness-four-books-is-a-ton-of-books!), but when I talked myself off that ledge, I carved out time in my schedule, and put book one up for preorder.

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  Then I took a deep breath and dove in.

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  It wasn’t easy. The writing itself flowed well enough, but facing the terrible and dark places that Celia has been was much harder. I spent significant time researching and talking to a couple of close friends who were sensitive to the subject matter. I put my blinders on to the many readers who said they would never read this book (which is a decision I support completely—not every book is for every reader). I reminded myself this was a story I believed in, a story I needed to tell. I focused. I meditated.

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  And when I was done with book one, no matter what the critical response was, I decided I’d be proud of it. And I am.

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  Now, with the series completed, I’m over-the-moon grateful for the support readers have given me. It’s beyond what I expected, and I’m very lucky for that. But even if I hadn’t received such great reviews and comments, I would still believe in this story. I wouldn’t want to write romance books that didn’t include some aspect of redemption in them. To me, that’s the truest form of love.

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  The idea that people can recover, that we can heal, that we can atone, that we can change and become someone better than what we once were, that no matter what we’ve done we are still worthy of being loved—that notion is essential to the progress of humanity. I can’t imagine living in a world where we didn’t believe growth was possible. I certainly wouldn’t want to.

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  At the end of this journey, I have to take a moment to thank everyone who helped get me down this road. Take a breath, there’s quite a few.

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  First off, my team is fucking awesome. I couldn’t wish for a better one. Candi Kane, Melissa Gaston, and Roxie Madar are as much a part of Laurelin Paige as I am. I depend on them more than is probably healthy, and I love them more than I ever let on. Thank you for being my people, ladies.

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  Then there’s Kayti McGee. She’s half team member, half co-conspirator, and one hundred percent best friend. I may not be singing you Phantom of the Opera, but I’m definitely singing you A-Ha. (I’ll be coming for you anyway.)

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  Next, my soul sister and agent, Rebecca Friedman. Even when there are long periods where I don’t see you (I miss your face right now! Stupid Coronatine.), we always pick up right where we left off. You’re a great friend and one of the few people who gets my neuroses (as well as my fa
mily’s). Love you to the moon and back.

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  This series definitely couldn’t have happened without Liz Berry. Even when she wasn’t sure she wanted a Celia story, she spent a weekend with me trying to sort out my vision. I mean, she really went there, into the trenches, helping me discover what the story really was and the dark places it would go. Very few people have that kind of stamina and even less take the task on with such enthusiasm. I’m so lucky to have such a genuine, compassionate, intelligent woman on my side. Thank you for letting me into your family. You’ve definitely found your way into my heart.

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  My betas, editors, and proofers - Erica Russikoff, Amy “Vox” Libris, and Michele Ficht. Without these women, my words would be riddled with errors, but they contribute much more than that to my process. Their notes and ideas and, more than anything, their cheerleading are what keeps me going most days. I appreciate you ladies for everything you are. Thank you for letting me invade your lives like I do.

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  Marni Coleman at Lyric Audio and Elena Wolfe and Shane East—what a fucking audio team! I am so pleased with how you’ve made my characters come to life. I couldn’t have asked for anything more, and as always, I’m so appreciative of your patience with my sometimes lack of organization. You all are saints.

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  Tom Barnes and Melissa Gaston for making my stunning paperbacks and Alyssa Garcia at Uplifting Designs for giving me such gorgeous insides.

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  I couldn’t do anything without running it by Lauren Blakely. She’s my sounding board and my mentor, and one of my best friends. It’s so refreshing to have someone who never tires of talking business. Our chats and marketing sessions are the highlight of my day.

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  My LARCS and my Instagram team—you ladies are gold. I don’t know what I did to deserve such treasure in my life. I hope you know I’m always grateful, even when I’m absent from the interwebz.

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  The Sky Launchers—I will never not be amazed that there are people who, don’t only want to hear the stories I have to tell, but also love them with such devotion and enthusiasm. Thank you for your unfettered joy. I endeavor to be more like you.

  And to all my readers all around the world—thank you for giving me this crazy, fantastic life. It’s the best job possible.

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  To the friends who weren’t before mentioned — Melanie Harlow, CD Reiss, Jana Aston, ShopTalkers and all the other authors who share advice and knowledge and just life on the regular without any expectations in return. I can’t imagine having better peers. You make the worst parts of the job bearable and you teach me how to celebrate the best parts in style.

  To my mom, husband, and daughters—we bicker and we fuss but we sure do love each other too. Even after more than a month of being quarantined with y’all, I still look forward to popping the popcorn and going to the theater room to watch Magicians with you. What would my life be without you? Spoiler: not much.

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  Finally, to Open Cathedral for teaching me a new way to worship, and to my God. In this crazy, strange, surreal time, you’ve been my touchstone. You give my life meaning and direction and help me remember myself when it would easier to be lost.

  About Laurelin Paige

  With millions of books sold, Laurelin Paige is the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She's a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there's kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn't seem to complain, however. When she isn't reading or writing sexy stories, she's probably singing, watching shows like Game of Thrones, Letterkenny and Discovery of Witches, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She's also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn't do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio.

  www.laurelinpaige.com

  laurelinpaigeauthor@gmail.com