I am privileged to have a team of talented, dedicated professionals working to turn my stories from rough manuscripts into finished books. The staff at Revell is, without exception, a true delight. To list everyone who’s been part of this book would take several pages, but I would like to single out four women whose efforts have made a huge difference.
Vicki Crumpton’s title may be Executive Editor, but I call her Editor Extraordinaire. She has an innate sense of what readers want—and don’t want—in a book. That, combined with her wonderful sense of humor, makes revisions fun. Well . . . almost fun. Vicki’s the perfect editor: part cheerleader, part coach, completely fabulous.
My project editor, Kristin Kornoelje, describes her comments as picky. I find them brilliantly insightful. Kristin’s the one who catches inconsistencies, overuse of individual words, and unclear motivation. I thank her, and so should you, because my stories are better as a result of her pickiness.
Michele Misiak continues to amaze me with her innovative methods of promoting my books and her boundless energy. Although her title is Marketing Manager, she coordinates so many aspects of the publishing process that she’s become my go-to person whenever I have a question. And, even though her inbox is overflowing and her schedule packed, she’s unfailingly quick to respond. Thanks, Michele!
Art Director Cheryl Van Andel is an author’s dream come true. She’s never content with a merely good cover but keeps working with the artists to make each one great. Since she’s given me consistently beautiful covers, I had high expectations for this one. What I didn’t expect was that Cheryl would leave me speechless. Those of you who’ve met me know that doesn’t happen very often, but when I received an email from Cheryl saying that the artist couldn’t find a suitable gown for the cover model and that she was going to have one made specifically for my book, I was flabbergasted, flattered, and—yes—speechless. As if that weren’t enough, Cheryl let me select the gown’s design and color. What can I say other than that I was thrilled to be part of the process and even more thrilled with the final product?
I am deeply grateful to Vicki, Kristin, Michele, Cheryl, and the rest of the Revell staff for everything they do to make my books the best possible.