Tyler, before I can thank you for the hours of stories, tips, and information you shared with me, I have to thank you for your service as a wildland firefighter. After all the research I’ve done on this subject, I am in awe of anyone who would do this job willingly, much less with enthusiasm fire season after fire season. The arduous physical labor, the long hours, and the minimal sleep hotshots endure earn them the title of elite firefighters. The danger level alone is enough to make me fear for everyone who puts themselves between the flames and someone’s home, or farm, or even an entire town. Thank you, Tyler, for helping me with the details of this story, but it is an honor to know a true hero.

Megan Davis began as a reader I met several years ago at the first Book Bash in Orlando, Florida. We took a picture together, and to this day, it’s one of my favorites. I remember chatting with her after that photo was taken, and she was so cool in conversation I’d thought that maybe she’d just taken a picture with me because she saw others doing it. Today, Megan is my right hand (wo)man. She is responsible for the chapter containing Ellie’s first week with the hotshots. I was going to skip over that part but Megan wanted more. It was because I wrote that chapter that Beautiful Burn took a new direction, one that I truly loved, and all because I filled a gap I didn’t know was empty. Thanks for all you do for me, Megan, but most of all, thanks for asking for more.

Thank you to Jennifer Danielle for reading the ARC with me in the wee hours of the night, and to Nina Moore for always saying yes to making amazing promotional graphics. A big thanks to Jessica Landers for moderating a large group of awesome readers called the MacPack. I don’t know what I would do without any of you!

Thank you to Deanna for assuring me this book was just as addictive as every Maddox book should be, and for helping me with the dreaded blurb. Thank you most for being my best friend, and for listening to me rant and squeal and everything in between.

More thanks goes to Murphy Rae, Madison Seidler, and Jovana Shirley for help in the production of this book, to Hang Le for an amazing cover, and to Bec Butterfield for her help in Australian slang. To authors Kristen Proby and Jen Armentrout, for their support along the way, and to my agent, Kevan Lyon, who came out of 2015 with me with amazing grace and patience.

Finally, thanks to L3 for being my bubble of positivity, and to my squad: Megan, Jessica, Chu, Liis, Deanna, and Misty. You are the butter on my bread.

About the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR