Day 5: Brooke Would Like to Thank...

the academy? One of the best parts about being a debut author is getting to write your dedication and the acknowledgements--you know the place where the author thanks everyone including the mailman and sometimes makes little inside jokes or refers to friends with nicknames? And most of us enjoy reading them because they give us a little glimpse into the author's world, and sometimes even into the research for the book.

So who did I thank in my acknowledgements? Pretty much everyone! When it is your first book, you try not to forget anyone because who knows if you'll ever get the chance to again. I imagine by my third book I'll be thanking the inventor of shoelaces or my cat, but for this book it was all about my friends and family and those who've supported me for day 1. And, not only that, but I wanted to include fun little details that were personal and special to me--like my Aunt's bookshelves which were the first place I ran to in her house. And my Granny's map of the world that was filled with colorful pushpins. And then there were my writing friends who helped me with things like the craft of writing or how to prepare a query letter and were there for me through all of the stress, sometimes with Dark Chocolate (aka Edgy Chocolate). And of course, you always want to thank your agent, editor, and the wonderful folks working behind the scenes to make your book an actual book.

Probably the best and hardest part of the acknowledgements was writing the dedication. There was really no question about who to dedicate Undone to. Not only did my father, who supported me 150%, pass away before I even landed an agent, but he was someone who made sure to never leave anything in his life undone. The way he led his life was inspiring, and I know that his influence was what made writing and getting Undone published possible. Yes, it is bittersweet that he can't be here to enjoy this with me, but I know he will always be cheering me on.

Awesome! And we'd love to thank you for spending the week getting to know Brooke and helping celebrate her launch! Be sure to come back next week when we talk with authors, agents, editors, and other publishing professionals as we go through the entire process of taking a story from idea to hardbound book!