Thanks to all the book clubs and bloggers who have taken the time to post video reviews and written reviews of my work. I also want to thank the many readers who follow me on Facebook and who post so many cute and creative pictures of their Allison Hobbs book collections. All of these efforts make me smile. Additionally, I must thank Charmaine Parker for her patience and dedication in editing this novel. A big thank-you to Sara Camilli for taking on this collaborative project. As always, thank you, Zane for continuing to believe in me. Thank you to my literary best bud, Cairo, whose work I greatly admire and who can have me CTFU with the mere utterance of one word. Thanks, Daaimah S. Poole for being such a kind, sweet, and wise soul. To my BFF, Karen Dempsey Hammond, you are so much more than a friend—you’re my sister in spirit and I absolutely adore you. Last but not least, I’d like to thank my writing partner, Karen E. Quinones Miller. I’m thrilled that our combined talents have provided our dear readers with such a delicious and racy page-turner!
Much Love,
Allison Hobbs
* * *
I want to start out by thanking The Creator for my life, my talent, and my blessings.
I also want to thank all of the ancestors—literary, familial, and otherwise—who had to endure so much to ensure that I would be able to enjoy the life that I have all these years.
A special shout-out to literary agent Sara Camilli, who for some reason stood by me and encouraged me when other people—whom I thought would—had disappeared. Sara, you are simply the bomb.
And to Zane, whom I’ve known and admired for years for publishing Hittin’ It Out the Park. I’m not going to say more about Zane, because otherwise I’d start to gush, and I hate to gush, and I’m going to trust that Zane doesn’t like people gushing about her. (Okay, I will say one more thing about Zane…there are SO many people in the literary world who say they always try to help others in this industry; Zane is one of only about five people who doesn’t constantly going around saying it, but goes around doing it.)
This is the very first book I’ve ever written without Evening Star Writers’ Group, but even though we never met to discuss and critique my portion of Hittin’ It Out the Park, it really helped to know I always had the moral support. Thank you, Fiona Harewood, Sharai Robbin, and Akanke Washington. I don’t know what I would do without you.
My friends and Prayer Warriors—Fiona Harewood, Victoria Christopher Murray, Jenice Armstrong, Kim Beverly, Johnny Black, Senemeh Burke, Sojourner McCauley, and Makeela Thomas.
I also want to thank the members of the Brothers and Sisters Book Club of Philadelphia/South Jersey—with a special shout-out to Audrey Johnson. Thank you for welcoming me as a member, and thank you for being my friend.
And a thank you to all the readers and book clubs who have read my books and have hosted me throughout the years. I hope you guys never get tired of me—I know I’ll never get tired of you. Just hit me up…I’d love to come out and meet with you. You can always reach me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.e.miller.14. I look forward to hearing from you.
It is important that I take this opportunity to remember, and honor, those who have passed since my last book, but who have meant so much to me: Barbara Wallace, Charles Robinson (Shola Remi), Sherlaine Freeman, Jose Manuel (Oyadina), J. California Cooper, Nelson Mandela, and Maya Angelou—May you all rest in peace. Ibaiye.
I want to thank the health professional who assisted me during my illness and the writing of this book: Brenda Munson Glover and Lynette Lunnon.
Dwayne Ligon, dear friend, thanks for the use of your name. I hope you enjoy your character namesake. <smile>
Of course I thank my family, Joseph T. Quinones and my lovely daughter, Camille R. Quinones Miller. Nice to know you have folks you can always depend on…and I hope they know they can always depend on me.
But I really have to give the biggest thanks to my coauthor, the terrifically talented Allison Hobbs. Thanks, Allison, for your patience and understanding—and most of all, your encouragement and support. I hope this won’t be our last collaboration—I enjoyed this one too much!
In closing, I want to once again ask for forgiveness for those whose names I have failed to remember, but without whom my life would not be the same.
Karen E. Quinones Miller