Acknowlegments
Getting Old Bess out into the world was a job for a village and mine was large and beautiful. I am grateful and humbled by all those who did more than they may know and may not even be mentioned below. Children’s books don’t normally have a place for acknowledgements, so I decided mine would be in my first blog post. Thank you…
To Wes who listened to many iterations of Old Bess over the years. He is one of my best critics and Old Bess would not be who she is without his editorial skills and emotional and financial support. He has been my biggest fan since the beginning.
To my children, Alex and Madi who, as small girls, and on many car rides, listened over and over again to stories about living on the farm. They were the very first to hear and hold the Hog’s Back stories. By doing so they showed me the worthiness of them all.
To Rob Baddorf who was one of the first people to read a finished version. His love for Old Bess plus his writing aplomb was invaluable. I have pestered him over the years about EVERYTHING related to getting Old Bess published and he has been kind, patient and so supportive. He is also the guy who created my publishing logo!
To my first Beta Edit group which went to friends and children far and wide. It was a scary, vulnerable thing to do and the responses I got were beyond helpful. Noah Shirley suggested children might not know the meaning of one of the words. So, I decided to add a sweet glossary at the end of the story. I could go on but thank you…you know who you are!
To Abbey Holland who got me out of my shame pit and helped me get started on social media. I don’t think she realizes the power of her voice but she will! She also introduced me to Audrey Savage whose illustrations brought Old Bess to life!
To Sharon Holland who has been celebrating the book and me all along. She has come up with a myriad of marketing ideas that would never have crossed my mind. If you ever need a cheerleader, you need a Sharon in your life.
To my brilliant critique group, Where the Wild Writers Are, who combed through Old Bess with astute and sharp insights/corrections. They gave me courage along the way and affirmed that Old Bess was, indeed, a worthy children’s book!
To Al Andrews and Becky Allender for “getting” Old Bess which was such an encouragement for me. Thank you for writing the words of endorsement that were so beautiful and profound! Your blessings are still hugging my heart warmly.
To my publishing editor, Daniel, whose first words about Old Bess convinced me he was the right person for the job of putting all the pieces together for the final product. “…elemental, archetypal, brooding, and tender. Something real that children need to encounter-especially in these times.”
And to so many more… thank you…