WHILE I ALWAYS feel like I owe an apology to my early readers as they have to put up with all manner of redundancies and imprecise word choices. If it weren’t for their willingness to read my first sloppy manuscripts and pass on their thoughts, this would never have made it to print. So much heartfelt thanks to Jennifer McNerney, Lyn Matejczyk, Mark Arnold, Avery Marks, Whitney James, Shane O’Neill, Amy Hanson, and Ellie Roth for your honest comments and suggestions. Please know that you made this book a better one.
To my editor, Ethan McCarthy, thank you for being smart. You knew what needed to go and what needed to stay and what needed to be rearranged all while you understood why and how I wrote this book to begin with. You are a gifted editor and I’m grateful for your hard work.
Ditto my copyeditor, Ashley Davila. Your tweaks and last-minute catches were indispensable. Thank you as well to Lori Neff, Allison Noble, and everyone at IVP who have helped get this book launched.
And finally, to all who have encouraged me and inspired me: Rick, our children, The Lost Boys, and everyone else who walked through our back door or up to The Chill Spot. I love you all dearly and I’ll never forget our time together.