Father Figure

Chapter 3

This book is dedicated to Ryder, who we lost too soon

Writing a book is not an achievement an individual person can do on his or her own. There are always people who contribute in a multitude of ways, sometimes unwittingly, throughout the journey from discovering the idea to drafting the last word. Father Figure has had many supporters since its inception in August 2016, but before the concept even sparked in my mind, my passion for writing was nurtured by others.

First thanks go to my parents, Jim and Pat, for always believing in me as a writer, as well as teaching me how to become the person I am today. Their unconditional love and support have been the primary reason I"m accomplishing my goals. Through the guidance of my extended family and friends, who consistently encouraged me to pursue my passion, I found the confidence to take chances in life. With Winston and Ryder by my side, I was granted the opportunity to make my dreams come true by publishing this novel. I"m grateful to everyone for pushing me each and every day to complete this second book.

Father Figure was cultivated through the interaction, feedback, and input of several beta readers. I"d like to thank Shalini G, Lisa M. Berman, Claire Ayres, and Nina D. Silva for providing insight and perspective during the development of the story, setting, and character arcs. They read every version and offered a tremendous amount of their time to help advise me on this book over several months. The extended beta reading and creative team, who read various versions of the novel and/or provided many suggestions and ideas, also deserve my appreciation: Valerie, Misty Swafford, Cammie Adams, Roda Shope, Robyn, Anne Jacobs, Noriko, and Kourtney Callahan.

I"d also like to thank my editor, Nicki Kuzn at Booktique Editing, for helping fix all the things I missed along the way. She"s been a wonderful addition to the team and has been very focused on making this book a success. Between coaching and suggesting areas for improvement, she"s guided me in all the right directions. Thank you to Creativia for publishing Father Figure and helping pave the road for more books to come. I look forward to our continued partnership.