34 Seconds (39 page)

I would also like to acknowledge the family I had before I had my wonderful husband and amazing children. Michelle Croxton, your input, and more than anything, blessing to be who I am, write what I feel, and share it with the world means so very much to me. I love you, look up to you, and adore you. For my mother, Marlene Rennie, thank you for being here for me. I love you. And to my father, Woody, I made you a promise, and I’m proud to say I’ve kept it. I will keep doing what I love to do. Thank you for your love and support over the years. I miss you and wish you could be here to read my words. I have cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents too, who have offered love, kindness, and support over the years. Virginia and Lorraine, thank you for always being around. Stella was my grandmother. She was an amazing woman, and Nikki’s Nana was based on the many things I miss about her. I hope Nana’s silly ways can help keep our Stella alive for many years to come. Thank you all – for being you, and you, for being amazing.

Finally, to the many Indie Authors out there. The journey of writing is a personal journey. However, without the support you all have given, I might be reading this all alone. Valerie, Kai, Rik, Stephen, and the many wonderful people at IAG, thank you for creating such a venue. For those who have walked before me, thank you for laying the path, I will try to sweep up the dirt I brought along as I pave way for those after me. Katharine Grubb, Eric Johnson, Jessica White, Michele Mathews, Sabrina Ramoth, and many others in the 10 Minute Novelists group, thank you all. You are fun, bright, and you all make me smile, which brings words to paper. You’ve helped me with blurb writing, imaginary foods with zero calories, and helped to keep my sanity throughout this process. Eric, thank you for pushing me further, even when I didn’t want to be pushed.

Rik Hall and Kai Wilson, I came to you both in a time when I knew I had done everything possible to be ready and asked you to help me get this out to the world. Only I wasn’t nearly as ready as I thought. I revised again. I edited again. I sent revisions. I sent edits. I asked questions when I thought I had the answers but questioned everything. Thank you both for your patience, for your professionalism, and for your help.

A quick note on Deltaville, Virginia. Though this novel takes place in Deltaville, I’ve taken some liberties on the layout of a real town. Deltaville does exist, and it is a stunning place to be. It’s small, quaint, country, neighborly, and quiet. I challenge you to visit by car or by boat; you won’t be disappointed. Talk to the locals, they have stories about the area from centuries ago. Eat at the local restaurants, and be sure to get some local seafood, especially the blue crabs and the hush puppies.

Another thing I encourage, is to research and support your local Hospice organization. Losing a loved one is not an easy journey. Hospice nurses and staff are not only trained to care for the terminally ill with respect and dignity, but they also care for the survivors. They offer many services in various localities, please utilize them should that time come in your lives. They are invaluable and I thank them for being a part of my own journey.

John C. Harman created the beautiful artwork and cover for this book. He’s an amazing man, good friend, and a fabulous artist who continues to learn more about his craft each and every day. Be sure to check out his portfolio at
www.johncharman.com

Dayne at Dark Star Publishing edited this book. I learned so much from him. Thanks for everything. Dayne can be found at
www.darkstarpublishing.com
where you can see his writing projects as well as services he offers.

Melanie Glenn offered copy edits and line edits. She’s has been a school teacher for 21 years, which meant, for me, she hasn’t forgotten those grammar rules that used to come easy but often hide from my writing. She read this book in one night and sent me edits I needed to make it complete. She even pointed out more bad habits of mine. I am constantly learning from Melanie.

Rik Hall formatted this book. I appreciate his knowledge, experience, and patience. He’s formatted more than 700 books. Rik has a Masters degree in Education and has been involved with publishing for more than 40 years. Rik can be found at
www.WildSeasFormatting.com.

Best to all~

Stella

July 2015

About the Author

Stella Samuel is a busy wife, mother, and a lover of anything summer. When not working on a new novel, she might be found reading several books at a time. She resides in Colorado with her family and two Saint Bernards, where she enjoys running and hiking and just about anything done at home with family. 34 Seconds is her debut novel.

Stella can be found at
www.StellaSamuel.com

On Facebook at
www.facebook.com/writerstella5?ref=hl

And on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/WriterStella