This is the fastest book I've ever written, because it's the first I've done under a schedule and time limit. I expected it to be good, but I never expected it to be this good! (I know this sounds a little self-congratulatory, but I'm legitimately stoked!) I'd call my other books deep too, but this is one all about the human spirit, and I'd never have been able to spend all those days up till 3 am writing it knowing I could somehow get it done without the support of so many people.
To Jaylan Hayles, Geoffrey Olara and Toosaa Bush - I found best friends for life. No. More than that. Brothers.
And my other best friends; Heather Snowdon, who went with me during one of the most perplexing times of my life at school, Ben Dykstra, my amazing third-year roommate who pulled through school against all odds, and my last roommate Walter Cheung, who was my roommate when I finished, and right before the pandemic hit. You were always up for a talk about anime and rad video and card games. I really wanted to verse you in Yu-Gi-Oh and one of your favourite games one day, on equal ground. Hope you're doing great back at home!
To anyone and everyone who's had it way worse than me during this pandemic: whether it's a job, friend, family member, you're going through unprecedented pain and I know my words can't heal you but I wish you all the best nonetheless.
To two of my favourite authors: Richard Paul Evans and Alexander Gordon Smith, for acknowledging me when I sent out interest in one day starring in possible movie adaptations of your masterful work.
To Sara Walker, Emma Couette, Karen and Melissa Sproxton, Coyote, Joshua and Stephen Ellery, and every other author I've really gotten to know on a personal level at the Kawartha Writers Club, both teen and adult. Also to Kevin Frank, Eve Silver and Lena Coakley, other authors who I've only met on a few occasions but were a blast to get advice from.
To Jodene Russell. We'll finish that book, I promise.
To Pamela VanMeer for taking a chance and giving me a journalism internship.
To Christopher Burke. I miss you more than you can imagine.
To my friends I've known since I had baby teeth; Jamie and Joanna Nagel, Jade Echo Jeffrey, Danielle Sparkes, and Liam & Elise Brierley. God only knows what I'd be without you, like the song.
To my friends at the Crayola factory; Murray, Martin, Carolyn, Hayley, Roger, Michelle, Sundee, Karl, Haleigh (yeah, two of 'em), Nicole, Tina, Patricia and Michael.
To all the friends I've met since coming to university; Wes Dawod, Disha Melwani, Tommy Morais, Andrea Colaco, Nimra Javed, Sarah Elizabeth Alward, Odaa Mohammed, Mahin Dar, and numerous others.
To Jordan Milton, Cassidy McMullen, Molly Whitchurch, Mathieu Pare, Daniel Ellingwood, Sky Saunders, Chenoa Laurel Murdock, Jesse Marshall, Calum McConnaugh, and so many others I hope to one day reunite with on the ocean of life.
To Sharon Lauricella, for cheering me on and being a flat-out amazing professor. I still have my little bracelet on from the Ganaraska trip, and who this book definitely would not be possible without. I felt comfortable doing it for the project since you were so cheering of it!
To the family I live with; Julie, Len, Abby, Duncan (you'll always be a part of us, our doggie), and my grandparents, Joanne, Tom and Carmen. And my cousins Chelestina, Sebastiano, Jack, Kimberly (Chambers AND McGinn), Christopher and Spencer.
To you (if you're someone not on this list), once again, for giving my book a chance. I hope you enjoyed it! My first adult book at 21! Surprised I was able to actually write a hetero romance non-YA novel. Who woulda thunk, right? Thanks for giving it a go!
And last, but certainly not least, to Grant, the only other person in the family to have finished writing a whole novel. That is not easy to do, and you prevailed. Just like I know you'll keep prevailing!
YOU ARE READING
The Shoreline
Romance"I'm not ready to be like them. I never have, and maybe I never will." Terry Drummond has lived his life on the shores, seemingly forever behind and abandoned as everyone else has figured out their dreams and gone out to sea long ago. He then seems...
