To my wonderful parents: Natalie Ann and Douglas Mazzola opened their home and hearts to a baby, unexpectedly and without thinking twice about it. I am so blessed and thankful to have them as my parents and to be brought such a loving extended family, it just is more proof that everything happens for a reason! I am continually reminded how many people truly love me unconditionally and unselfishly and I am so very thankful to know that kind of love in my life. I love you Mom and Dad for being the wonderful parents you didn't have to be!
To my awesome random roomie: You have always been right there in my corner and have loved me no matter how crazy I have gotten at times. Thank you for going through this entire journey with me, the late night character development calls, the rewrite of the entire ending and helping me get Crashing Back Down to be the story it is today.
To my Twin: You are amazing! Thank you for being my real life Cali and helping that character really take shape! And yes, your car does smell like cupcakes!
To my heterosexual life partner: Most people will think that I am insane for putting that title in the back of my book, but who cares! You have always been my best friend, since our first sleep over as infants! I do not know what I would do without your unwavering support in my life.
To my Beta readers: Grace, Jessica, Alyssa, and Kim! Ladies, thank you so much for helping me build the confidence in this book that I really needed to see it through. Your advice and encouragement was key in this process and I could not have done this without you!
To my own true north: Michael James Burke! You are my everything and I love you with all my heart. Thank you for supporting my late night writing sessions, my constant ramblings about characters and plot problems, and for my lack of a social life for almost the last year. Your support and dedication to this project has turned it into something so much more than I could have ever dreamed! Thank you, Baby, for helping me see my dreams come true!
And to my mentors in the Indie Author world, K. Pinson (Author of In Spades) and Brittainy C. Cherry (Author of The Space In Between): Ladies, Ladies, Ladies! You two have been instrumental in my confidence during this entire process. Without the two of you answering my stupid, newbie-author questions, I probably would have given up! Thank you for reading a rough, un-edited copy of Crashing Back Down and convincing me that it was worth putting out there! You two are amazing!