Acknowledgments from the Author

There are always so many to thank, this part is nearly as hard as writing the book itself. Not really, but it’s hard to not leave anyone out. LOL! I first want to thank Liz, Jillian and MJ, the Evil Eye Team, for this incredible experience working with you and bringing Kimba’s story to life. You believed in me, in her, every step of the way, and that means the world. I have to thank my publicist Jenn from Social Butterfly. You always stretch and pull with every one of my new expectations. Every 2am email and midnight text—you never complain. Your friendship is invaluable. Tia Kelly, thank you!!! You cared about Kimba as much as I did. Maybe sometimes even more! Hahaha. I appreciate your honesty and determination and your “spidey senses.” Most of all your belief in me and encouragement have been a lifeline more than once. To my alpha reader Joanna, I can’t really thank you enough for never settling; for not letting me get away with mediocrity. For being ruthlessly honest, even when it’s the last thing I want to hear. For pushing back when I don’t want to listen because you care so much about the story. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. You’re my safety net and your friendship is so precious. <3

I’m so grateful to my sensitivity readers Sylvia and Hannah. Thank you for sharing the richness of your heritage to help me write this story. And to Felicia Grossman for answering all my questions and having candid conversations to help inform this journey. Anything I got wrong is on me, not on these amazing women who helped me understand so many things as I wrote Ezra’s character and experience. To my beta readers LaDonna, Cordelia, Terilyn, and Sarah, THANK YOU for the feedback. You helped shape this story more than you could know. Even one of your questions led me to ask myself several more, and the answers contoured these characters.