Merry Christmas…
So, if you’re like my family, you celebrated Christmas in some form yesterday and I hope that your holiday was fun. Again, if you’re like my family, you celebrate with family either through an actual get-together, phone calls, texts, SnapChats, Facebook posts, or any combination of those. So, the day is filled with family and friends and often a great deal of “spirits” of all kinds!! As a published author, I always field questions about my books: plot lines, characters, how well they’re selling, where to get them, when’s the next one coming out, and the inevitable, who’s the next book dedicated to. That’s a fun one as there seem to be more and more relatives vying for that honor and the discussions (more like confrontational debates) can get awkward if not quite heated. If you know me at all, you know that I hate confrontations.
Now, if you also know me and my books, you know that The Forgotten was dedicated to my nephew Henry, a fourth year at Annapolis. (I always add that epithet in when I bring up Henry because I am one PROUD aunt. Just saying.) Here’s the reason why: when I was challenged/encouraged by my daughter to do something with all those horridly bad fan fiction stories from middle school and high school, I started writing what is now my Valaraii Rising Trilogy. As I was writing it, several people asked to read it; so, I would print off what I had, put it in a binder, and give it to them. I was actually really interested in their feedback. You can guess what happened…no one ever read those pages. (That doesn’t do a lot for your confidence in your work.) No one read them until Henry. Henry sat down and read the pages while on a beach trip with us on Pawley’s Island. Every last page and then gave me awesome feedback that really bolstered my confidence. So, of course, the first book had to be dedicated to him. He’s the reason I had the confidence to even finish the work.
For The Lost, I chose my daughter and if you’ve seen the dedication, you know that its says, “For my daughter, Emma Grace. Be kind….of a badass. I love you.” I thought that dedication was perfect because my daughter is the one who first challenged me to do something with my writings and then (albeit during an argument) further challenged me to try and get my work published. Plus, the series itself is full of strong female characters who aren’t in the background but front and center. Strong, independent female characters developed by a woman. Strong, independent female characters modeled after women in my life as well as inspired by the type of women I want myself to be and my daughter as well. There’s a reason my favorite sweatshirt is just that. (Not because it’s red and I do look fabulous in red. That’s just a bonus.) I LOVE the quote on it: “Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.” I believe I’ve raised one. I mean, she’s amazing, independent, intelligent, major math brain, phenomenal runner, beautiful soul, and gorgeous.
So, I guess the race is on for my book three dedication. It’s title The Dead so I’m not sure how any of my living relatives might feel about that book’s dedication. Right now, they don’t seem to care as they are all about being the one whose name is on that page in the front of the book. I have a few ideas, including my students. I mean, I wouldn’t be a teacher without them and I certainly wouldn’t be the teacher I am without them.