Cinderella Screwed Me Over

Acknowledgments

This book all started with a conversation I had with Christy Walters, one of my very best girlfriends about the unrealistic ideas we had about how relationships would be. I uttered the phrase, “Yeah, Cinderella really screwed us over,” and right then, I knew I needed to write a book about all the things fairy tales forgot to teach us, while somehow pulling off a romance. Thanks to my Aunt Malinda, who was one of the first people to read it and told me how much she loved it. She was also one of my very first writing cheerleaders, and I’ve always been grateful for that—it totally kept me going. Ariane Love, thanks for reading an early draft as well. I could go all mushy, mushy about missing you and Christy, but I’ll refrain and just say thanks for being awesome girlfriends. Also to my friend, Amanda Price (I almost typed Crowther. Lol), whose character traits tend to show up in all of the girlfriends I write in my books. Thanks for saying all the right things as I was going through the editing process—I’m glad to have found another girl so much like me.

I wouldn’t be where I was today if Stacy Abrams hadn’t taken a chance on me. Thanks to her and Alycia Tornetta’s mad editing skills, my books come out all shiny, too. Thanks for all the behind the scenes work you two do for me as well. Hugs! Entangled Publishing has been so supportive, from the authors to editors to publicists and everyone in between. I’d especially like to thank publicist ninja Heather Riccio, along with Anjana and Danielle for all of their work. Thanks to my writer friends Rachel Harris, Lisa Burstein, Brandy Vallance, and Anne Eliot for always being there and constantly making me laugh.

To my own Prince Charming—hehe, had to put that in there, babe—thanks for helping me come up with more fairy-tale tie-ins as I wrote, answering one hundred billion questions, and for reading the first draft what seems like forever ago, when I still wasn’t sure I’d ever have a book published. Thanks for supporting me through my entire writing career, even before it was actually a career. Oh, and for indulging me in my shoe-collecting habit. To my daughters and son, you guys make me laugh, keep me going, and I’m amazed every day that I have such awesome kids. A lot of the farm/small-town stuff was inspired by the town I grew up in and not-so-normal conversations around the dinner table. I’ll always be a farm girl at heart, even when I’m walking around in my stilettos. Mom and Dad, thanks for everything, from the way you raised me, to checking how the book stuff’s going, to letting me get away with inappropriate jokes (See, it’s in print, so it’s permanent now). I could say a hundred nice things about my brothers and sisters, but I’ll just say I love you all, and thanks for the support. Shout-out to my brother, Greg, who let me steal his phrases and stories for Drew.

Since this is getting long and I’m always scared of forgetting someone, I’ll just say thanks to all the wonderful blogger and cool bookish people I’ve met the past few years (some, only virtually). You make writing more fun, and have been a huge help getting the word out about my books. To my girls in the TZWNDU book club, thanks for helping me out when I need feedback, and for just being awesome.

And lastly, thanks to my readers! You’re the best! May you all find the perfect pair of glass slippers, or whatever shoes happen to be your preferred footwear.