Though writing is a solitary activity, a book is never birthed alone. I couldn’t possibly list all of the people who helped bring me and this story to where we are today. But there are a few I must mention:
My agent, Rachelle Gardner, who gave the first version of this book a revision “memo” that grew both the story and me as a writer. The amazing team at Ashberry Lane who made “delivering” this book an absolute pleasure. My first critique group: Kellie Coates Gilbert, Cheryl Linn Martin, and RanDee Hill. Faithful writer friends Karla Akins, Linda Glaz, Jessica Nelson, Emily Hendrickson, April Strauch, Larry Topliff, Leslie Gould, and the incomparable Carla Stewart. Thank you for holding me up and walking me through to the finish line.
Thank you to my amazing husband, Dan, and kids—Shane, Ben, and Janae—who ate a lot of frozen lasagna and plugged their ears to late-night key-tapping so I could write. I also owe thanks (plus one exploding helicopter) to Randy “The Snowflake Guy” Ingermanson for never letting me off easy, as well as Patty Slack and the rest of the CRCW crew. I owe a very special thanks to Kim Moore, Harvest House Senior Editor, for championing me and for her love for this story. Many thanks to Robin Jones Gunn for inspiring young women to guard their hearts and their first kiss for the man they will marry; my English teacher, Mrs. Gano, who loaned me books because she believed there was a writer in me; and Mom and Dad, who always believed.
Like There’s No Tomorrow would not exist if not for Lisbet, my beautiful Viking friend, who believes in international love stories and told me I should just write one.