The Sweetest Kill: A Young Adult Paranormal (32 page)

Acknowledgements

First, I want to thank my mom Shannon. Without her letting me develop my brain in incubation of nearly ten months then, graciously going through the agony of aiding my escape, none of this would have happened. This was followed by years of supporting me being ‘artsy farsty’ no matter how bizarre or ambitious these endeavors got. Without her sometimes harsh but always-honest criticism, I don’t think I would have ever been able to trust in my abilities enough to ever let anyone see my writing.

Secondly, I want to thank my husband Micheal. He’s been incredibly supportive and patient with me throughout this whole experience. I got into some darker places while writing this and without him helping me pull myself up by my bootstrap I wouldn’t have made it. He’s given me a son, unconditional love and a never-ending source of leading man material.

Thirdly, I want to say 'hi' to my son Salem. He’s only two years old right now and though he probably won’t see this for a long time, I hope that when he does he’ll be proud. See? Mommy can be cool… sometimes.

Of course, I also want to thank my agent Le-an Lacaba. Le-an looked beyond my obvious spelling errors and helped me get this story published. She’s been amazingly understanding through this. I can be difficult sometimes but she helped me push through.

Lastly, I want to thank the fans. Without the readers I’ve accumulated over time I would never have had this opportunity. I was just some writer typing out quirky little stories on the Internet and by some miracle they saw something they liked in my work. I can’t be more thankful for this. I honestly can’t.

To all those who struggle with depression, self-injury and anxiety you have nothing but my respect. I am one of you and without the community of support out there I don’t think I could have made this story a reality. You are the ones who overcome the stigma of mental illness and show such a bravery that I am in awe of you. You can make your way through this and so will I because at the end of the day this story is about hope. Hope of a better tomorrow.

Thank you.

About the Author

Amber Kalkes has been alive for twenty-five years and over that time has accumulated a husband, a son and a fluffy gray cat. She’s lived in Minnesota most of her life and as such, is usually too snowed in to go many other places. A lifelong lover of the macabre and morbid, she hopes that you will enjoy her twisted sense of humor more than everyone else does.