Acknowledgments
People say writing is a journey. I believe that now that I have finished this book! It took me a long time to have the courage to let anyone read my original work, titled Freundschaft, and I am forever grateful to three very special friends – Becca, Kristy, and Brenda – whom I trusted with my first draft. You did not let me down! Your feedback gave me the confidence that I had something worth pursuing, and that was the serious beginning of this incredible journey!
When considering acknowledgments, I want to thank Abigail at BookBaby for being my “person” in the self-publishing industry. From that initial phone call, to the enthusiastic responses to every one of my emails, you’ve continually been a reassuring partner in making my dream happen. Thank you, Abigail, for all of your help!
Now that I’m officially published, I must give shout-outs to Janine, Darin, Tara, Deb, Caitlin, and all the others who took a chance on me with my debut novels Freundschaft and Tanzen. You looked past the German titles and cartoonish book covers, with faith that I had good stories on the pages in between. I have SO appreciated your support! Thank you to my daughters Shayla and Camryn, who secured me sales and a loyal teen audience before the books were even available. Shout-out to those teens – Margot, Cynthia, Chloe, Maddie, and Emerson – for proving that there is a market for my stories. And thank you to my superfans – Faryn, Rebecca F., and Rebecca U. Your relentless enthusiasm has added so much joy to my writing, and it is certainly motivation for me to continue the series!
I also want to acknowledge my wonderful husband, Ryan, who doesn’t really “get” this writing thing, but has never squawked about all the time and money I have invested in my passion. I truly appreciate your love and support!
Finally, and most importantly, the biggest hug and shout-out goes to my sister, Kari, whose constructive editing came with blunt and witty feedback every step of the way. The assurance you gave me kept me moving forward, and that has meant the world to me.