Acknowledgements
Much as for Never Let You Go, I owe this book to the support of the amazing indie writing community. I mentioned previously the precious knowledge that established writers generously share in various online groups. Here I’d like to tip my hat to the creators of virtual sprint or co-working rooms in which friendships are created across countries and continents, and where the writing process is a less solitary experience.
Thank you as always to my Redbirds tribe of writers: Teresa Beeman, Ariana Clark, Diana Divine, Michele Ingrid, and Kenna Rey. This book wouldn’t be here without your weekly cheer, our constructive discussions, and the friendships of fellow writers who understand each other’s struggles and insecurities. Teresa, I am so grateful in particular for your sense of logic and eagle eye in re-reading The Promise Of You days before release and catching persistent inconsistencies and hilarious typos!
Just as for Never Let You Go, this book would not be what it is without the stellar feedback and guidance of my truly amazing developmental editor, Angela James. Thank you so much for the tough love! Writing a book with you in my corner is like jumping off a bridge with a tight bungee rope—now how’s that for a cringy metaphor?
Thank you also to Grace Wynter for the wonderful copyedits. You seem to know Emerald Creek better than I do!
Grace and Angela are like fairy godmothers looking over the baby book and fixing everything the mom is doing wrong, with Teresa sweeping in at the last minute to wipe off its snotty nose (the baby book”s snotty nose, not the mom”s. See, this is why I need editors.)
And for this book in particular, a special thanks to E for her feedback on the restaurant industry, including the fact that there is no such thing as polite language in a professional kitchen.