Giving It a Go at Thanking Everyone

This week I'm looking forward to the release of the second book in my TWELVE KINGDOMS series, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE. (In fact, today you can read an excerpt over at That's What I'm Talking About.) So it's mete that this week's topic is giving thanks to all those who've helped us in our writing careers.

The problem is, I'm like that stereotypical starlet stumbling up to the podium clutching her mile-long list and struck with the certain terror that she'll forget to name someone. Probably the most important someone.

I hit this same anxiety every time I go to write my acknowledgements page, though I've gotten so that, as I write a book, I keep a running draft of everyone who helps me. Seeing as how half the time I have to tell those people to look at that page, I probably stress about it more than I should. But I hope that, over time, I catch everyone eventually.

For this post, I thought it might be nice to publicly post here the acknowledgments page from THE TEARS OF THE ROSE.

Many thanks to everyone at Kensington who have been so amazing to me about celebrating this book and the trilogy, especially Peter Senftleben, curmudgeonly editor extraordinaire; Vida Engstrand, delightful diva of communications; Jane Nutter, a paragon of a publicist; and Rebecca Cremonese, for being such a dedicated, enthusiastic caretaker of the pages and the story. If anyone gets to dinner & movie Ash, it will be you.

Everlasting gratitude to my critique partners: Marcella Burnard and Carolyn Crane, for the insightful, under-pressure reads and tireless support.

Thanks to my longtime friend, Marin Untiedt, who taught me to value knitting, gave me what I needed to know, and would probably be very much like this.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the incredible reviewers and readers who loved The Mark of the Tala and immediately demanded this book. I hope you all like Amelia’s story, too.

Finally, thanks to my family, for being the love and balance in my life.

And always, to David, for all the little things, every day.

I should add, also, that I seed little nods of love and gratitude throughout these books. Names of characters and places on the map of the Twelve Kingdoms often reference friends, loved ones and their pets. Little Easter eggs for them - and always a kick when they discover it. Like when Veronica Scott read the book and said she wanted to believe Lady Veronica Lianore was named for her. Which she was.

A final thank you goes out to Word Whore K.A. Krantz, for all she does in maintaining this blog and being our Tuesday pimp. You rock, baby!

Happy Thanksgiving all!