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When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a writer. Aunt Josie encouraged me but made me promise that if I ever became a writer, I would include her in a book, and that I would make her “tall, skinny, and beautiful.” Of course, she (my aunt) is beautiful. My father’s eldest sister, she has a sharp wit, feistiness, strength, and the well-deserved love of all of those around her.
When I placed out of college freshman English, she told me I absolutely could not skip the class. “It will be the best class you take in college.” I am incredibly grateful for her advice. You see, Josie was an English teacher. She knew what she was talking about.
I shared the first few chapters of Walk the Dog with a Gotham writing class. In my first draft, Delilah cussed like a sailor, and the overwhelming feedback was that I needed to curb the enthusiasm. One of my good friends says things like, “Oh, Mylanta” in lieu of naughty words. Her boyfriend sent me a whole list of “Nicole-isms,” and I adapted them for Delilah. Someone later asked me if someone would really say these things. The answer is yes. Yes, someone would. A real live person does. Thank you, Nicole Biffle, for providing the inspiration to bring Delilah to life.
On the tennis courts, there are some of us who let it all flow, and there are others who are far more ladylike. A favorite partner of mine, Sharon McAffee, would shout out, “Oh, sugar!” when the ball hit the net. We were quite the pair. While she was sprinkling sweetness, I was dropping f-bombs. A beta reader once asked me if southerners really say, “Oh, sugar.” The answer is yes, there are some fine southern ladies out there who do.
Mason is inspired by a sexy veterinarian featured in People magazine from years ago. So, yes, these mythical single creatures do exist. Or at least they did. That guy's gotta be snapped up by now. For those who recognized Mason’s last name, Herriot, yes, it is a nod to the most infamous veterinarian of all time and his books that I loved.
I’d like to once again thank Lori Whitwam for her editing expertise. She improves the story, and I swear, will one day help me to relearn all those grammatical rules I willingly forgot. Heather Whitehead copy edited this right as COVID-19 wreaked havoc on our lives, and I’d like to thank her for finding a way to focus on this when it felt like the world was falling apart.
Adlina Hamid-Yeow created multiple versions of the cover for Walk the Dog. And when I say multiple versions, I mean she even did an illustrated version. Huge thank you to Adlina for her patience with me and for creating awesome cover(s)!
Walk the Dog has had many beta readers and I’d like to thank them all, even those who only read a few chapters. Allison Miller read the roughest initial draft, and she loved it. Her enthusiasm kept me moving forward through the many, many later drafts, as others criticized there wasn’t enough conflict. AmyClaire Mager, serving as a developmental editor, read through it and helped me see where to dig deeper. In the end, I wanted to share Delilah’s story, this blonde, energetic chick I envisioned as Anna’s colleague, and I can only hope I did her justice and others find her as lovable as I do.
Last but not least, I’d like to thank my husband for his support as I try to find my way into some level of a writing career. I know there are days when he wants to toss my laptop in the lake. His support, and the support of my family and friends, means the world to me.