First can I take a moment and say look at God! Of all the dreams that I had growing up, who knew but God, that I would one day I’d call myself a published author. Thank You for the opportunity to release this title, Truth is… and thank you in advance for the future titles. Thank you for this craft; use me as you please.
To Jacquelin Thomas, thank you for believing in my work and giving me guidance and encouragement through this process, and providing me with the tools to share my voice with the world. Thank you for challenging me to grow as a writer. You are a never-ending inspiration. I started as a fan of your work, and now I’m so blessed to have you as a mentor and a friend. I’m forever grateful.
To my parents, Lenton and Miriam Mitchell, thank you for my family, my education, the roof you put over my head, and the art of storytelling. I believe my roots and upbringing helped me find that creativity within and it doesn’t hurt that my father is artistic too. I share my love of fiction with my mother, and it’s exciting to me to know that I’ll now be on her bookshelf among the other titles that we’ve read together. I love you both.
To my sisters, Shaniqua and Elisha, thanks for your support and sisterly love throughout the process. Thank you both for giving me a childhood that was never dull and full of imagination, I also credit my creativity to you. From creating forts to finding an excuse to why we were up when we should have been asleep—you two are everything to me. I love you both.
To my loving fiancé, Albert Goines Jr, thanks for trying to push me out of my comfort zone in every way possible. Thank you for loving me and telling me to write on those nights when I just wanted to talk to you on the phone. We’ve come a long way, and I’m happy to have you in my life. I love you. Oh, and thanks for sharing me with my laptop.
And to the rest of my loving family, thank you for the continued entertainment and support—my brother-in-law’s: Michael Lovejoy and Keith Martin; my nieces and nephews: Tiara Lovejoy, Michael Lovejoy Jr, Israel Waldon, Marc Touissaint, Faith Lovejoy, Destinee Lovejoy, Keith Martin Jr, Keilynn and Kanaan Martin; my godchildren Jada, Jaden, and Shaniya; my aunts and uncles and my long list of cousins, which I fear naming because I have so many that I might miss one—thank you for supporting my dream. Thanks also to my future in-laws: Marilyn Goines (mother-in-law), Albert Goines Sr. (father-in-law and wife Eleanor), Larissa Reed (sister-in-law); and all of my new extended family, thank you for your support and kind words.
To my friends and peers: Erin Whitlock Brown, Trina Mason, Nikyia Bell, Tiffany Wallace North, Shanda DuBose, Melanie Deck, Miki Peterson, Lisa Conley, Dwight Baker, Vernon Davis—thank you for supporting the work, being a listening ear, giving me feedback, being a reader, and most importantly a friend. Thank you for keeping me positive and patience as I waited for this day. You all are amazing!
To LaChelle Weaver, thank you for listening and offering your advice, your feedback, your positivity—and your friendship. I’m so thankful to have met you and have you in my life. You my Sister Scribe are such a phenomenal author and I can’t wait to see what you bring next. And thank you for introducing me to the phenomenal, Rebecca Pau.
To Rebecca Pau, thank you for capturing the essence of this Truth Is… and giving it the feel that I need to tell this story. You are amazing at what you do, and I can’t wait to work with you again in the future. Thank you for designing this amazing cover.
To the Malachi Bailey and Briana Whitaker, I’m glad I had you both in the beginning stages reviewing my work and providing me with your feedback, and continuing to be there cheering me on.
Thank you to Lasheera Lee, LaShaunda Hoffman at SORMAG, the Literary Guru Yolanda Gore, Michael and Joi in the Morning, Barnes and Noble Cumberland, LaToya Murchison, Jamantha Williams Watson of Urban Image Magazine, Mike Jordan of Lit Atlanta—for providing an outlet for me to share my work with you and your audience. I’m forever grateful.
Thank you to Brown Girls Books for giving me the opportunity to work on The Ex Chronicles and Single Mama Dating Drama, and giving me an extended family through the works we’ve done together and the times we’ve spent together. And a huge thank you to The Victorious Ladies Reading Book Club, you all have rallied behind me from the beginning and I’m blessed to have your belief and support in my project. I can’t wait to read your collection of stories and the individual projects that you all have in the works. You all are beyond extraordinary.
To Kimberla Lawson Roby, Sistah Souljah, Rhonda McKnight, Eric Jerome Dickey, Omar Tyree, Lolita Files, Victoria Christopher Murray, Reshonda Tate Billingsley, Carl Weber, Brenda Jackson and there’s so many more that I could name but—thank you for showing me ‘us’ in literature. Thank you for changing the way that I read. Thank you for being game-changers and paving the way for African-American authors.
To all of my coworker friends, current and former, thank you for helping get out the word about my book and promoting amongst your family and friends. Thank you for sharing in this dream and always telling me how proud you are—it means more than you think.
And to all of my Acworth Elementary School, Awtrey Middle School, North Cobb High School, Georgia Southern University alumni, Facebook and Instagram friends, thank you for hyping me up and telling me that you were ready for this moment. As you are reading this, I thank you again for your support and I hope you’ll enjoy.
To my Pilgrim Baptist Church family, thank you for harassing me about this project and sticking around to see it come to fruition.
And to you, the person reading this book that I haven’t met yet, you are appreciated.
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