Acknowledgments

Do you want to know a secret?

I’m scared as hell right now.

The book will be out in less than two weeks, and I'm terrified.

But like Stone said, I think it’s okay to be scared. I think being scared means that I did something that’s a little risky, a little personal, a little true. I think it means that I poured myself into this book, gave it all that I had, and maybe I'm afraid people will hate it because it has a piece of me, which means maybe I did something right.

It’s 1:35am right now, I just got done reading “Slaughtered Hearts” probably for the last time (for a while), Grey’s Anatomy is on in the background (because Liza James crying on Facebook totally sold me) and I can’t sleep. Because I’m scared. The following phrases are ones I’ve repeated while writing this one: "What am I doing?" "They’re going to think I’ve lost my mind.” “This book’s too long.” “I can’t do this.” “What is happening?” “This is too hard.” “What is wrong with me?” "This is too fucking hard."

Someone once asked me what I’m most excited for with Bone Island. I told them I was most excited for this book to be read. I'm excited for this book to be on shelves and nightstands and beds and on kindles and lit up on screens. For this book to be highlighted and bookmarked and dog-eared and tabbed and underlined and abused and loved. For this book to be devoured in the middle of the night, in between classes, between stolen minutes, waiting for the clothes to dry, dinner to finish in the oven, after the significant other falls asleep, in all your me time. For this book to be left unfinished and picked apart and hated with opinions and judgments because either way it was read at some point by you. For this book to be your escape hatch, next adventure, or your rock to sleep; for it to provide you comfort, or wring out all your emotions like it did for me these past two years.

And now that we're at the end, I hope I've done this for you.

Thank you for not only giving this story a home, but for giving it a chance, especially the NF Gang who always has trust in me, who adores Weeping Hollow and these characters, and for being kind, not just to me but to those around you. I have to say, like Stone said, that maybe I'm a brain in this community, but the NF Gang is the heart and soul.

With every acknowledgments, I always think back to the people who had a hand in the making of the book. With this one, I have a lot of people to be grateful for.

First and foremost, thank you, Michael, for taking care of the NF Shop and all our gangster reader's orders and making sure they're more than happy. You care about the NF Gang readers and love them as much as I do, and it means everything to me. Thank you for taking care of foreign deals with my lovely agent and merchants and all the hard stuff and admin stuff while I focus on the book. Thank you for all the help with the book box and reorganizing the entire garage to make sure everything fits. Thank you for cooking dinner every night, stocking the fridge with Red Bull, delivering Starbucks, and reminding me to eat and shower. Thank you for taking care of me during my surgeries, and being the brave one when I was scared. But most of all, thank you for enduring the blunt of all my emotions while I wrote this book, and never giving up and never letting go. I love you 'til death.

Thank you K. Dosal, for all you are and all you do. You, Kassy, are my lighthouse beam in my darkest hour. I love you.

Thank you Jenny Hickman for being such a good friend and beta reading the first half of Bone Island. This book wouldn't be what it is today if it wasn't for you.

Thank you Julia Ponce for the many Starbucks giftcards you randomly send to me when you don't even realize how much I just needed to smile. It was never about the giftcards or the SK books you find for me, it's the simple things you do to bring a moment of happiness while I was writing this emotional, blood-sucking book, and how you always know when to pop up in times you don't even realize I needed it the most. Thank you for being an amazing friend, not just to me but to a lot of the women on the Street Team, too. You're amazing.

Liza James, what got us talking was completely unconventional, and it was all thanks to you. I'm so glad you reached out to me that one night while you were drinking (sorry for calling you out) while you were eating a bowl of cereal three years ago. I've never met someone who is as understanding, caring, and sincere as you. The way your brain and heart work simultaneously amazes me because you see everyone and everything equally, as well as see every situation from all angles. I'm saying this because you are not only talented as hell, but you're also that incredible of a person that you always find the good intentions in even the cruel. You see humanity while others are blind, which is a rarity all in its own. I am so lucky to have you in my life and call you a friend. Thank you for being there for me.

Thank you Cat with TRC Designs for not only making bomb ass covers, but also being a breath of fresh air. Thank you for always being patient with me, and I CANNOT wait to see what you do for the Bone Island special edition cover!

Thank you Bethany Weaver, my agent, for everything. There is something to be said about an agent who is a true fan of your client's work, and because you adore these stories and believe in me, the trust I have in you is undoubtedly immense. Thank you for bringing the town of Weeping Hollow to people around the world.

Thank you Sarah with Okay Creations for these original covers and doing a freaking incredible job every single time. How you took the concept from the first book and made Bone Island completely different but also match is brilliance. I love your brain and creativity. I can't wait to see what you do with the rest of the books!

Thank you Siobhan for always coming through on beautiful illustrations.

Thank you to the SIC Writing Group for bringing me laughs, late-nights, and drive to keep pushing forward. Especially, thank you for checking in on me when I couldn't write in a group setting any more when the book became too much. I've learned so much from you talented ladies, and I can't wait to write the next book with you!

Christian & Gracie, the ones who've made the most sacrifices while I wrote this one. You two are my entire world. You two are my island. Never forget that.

Winston, my Great Dane. Your last years were during the writing of this book. I will miss the small moments you put your head in my lap while I'm at my desk, and even the times you wake me in the middle of the night just because you want me to move your bed closer to me so we can be in the same room. Thank you for bearing through until I was done. You can sleep easy now, Winnie. R.I.P.

Thank you, Mom for giving birth to me with the heart and ability to write this story, and thank you, Stacey for loving her. You both believe in me and support me, and it's always enough.

Thank you.