Acknowledgments
What started out as an experiment of sorts became the beginning of my dream come true. And so many people had a hand in making Life’s a Witch the phenomenon it is today. Here’s my attempt to say thank you to as many of you as possible:
To my lovely publishers, Simon & Schuster: you have completely changed my life. I can’t think of a better publisher to help me create the Life’s a Witch empire. Thank you. Alexandra Cooper, you’re the Yoda to my Skywalker, the Miyagi to my Daniel-Son, the Dumbledore to my Harry Potter. You saw the potential in me and this story, and have helped make me a much better writer. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, creativity, and excellence with me. Justin Chanda, you remind me of Joss Whedon—which is the highest compliment I could pay a person, considering how intelligent, imaginative, and utterly amazing he is. Just like you! Bernadette Cruz, you rock my marketing world… thanks for all of your hard work and great ideas! Paul Crichton, publicist extraordinaire—you have the gift of spreading the word. Let’s set the media world on fire! Lucy Cummins, you’ve created three absolutely spellacious covers, complete with magic, fabulosity, and fun! The lovely Amy Rosenbaum… besides being adorable, you brighten every visit to the office and feed my need for a good read. You’re also the true queen of puns. And Siena Koncsol. You are my soul-sister. There’s no one else I’d want to head into an apocalypse with, fight beside in the upcoming zombie war (you know it’s coming), and sit next to in the dark as we watch scary things go bump in the night. We should totally be superheroes together. Everyone else at S&S who has contributed their talents and hard work to bringing this book to life: Thank you, all!
Behind every great author is an even more amazing team. Thanks so much to mine: Kevan Lyon, you are by far the greatest literary agent in the history of the world. Seriously. No one compares. Thanks for taking a chance on an unknown writer. Taryn Fagerness, I have so much gratitude that you’ve brought my books to Italy, Catalan, Spain, Brazil, and Romania. Next: the world! And the überfabulous Brandy Rivers… you’re a total superstar to me and should have your own reality show. I can’t wait to conquer Hollywood with you!
So many have believed in me and helped me to get LAW to where it is today. None of that would’ve happened without the generous help of Wattpad and its staff. You have been there with me every step of the way and have created a platform that makes dreams come true. And without all my twitches on the site who fell in love with Hadley and her crew, this story would still be unknown. My fans are simply the BEST and I love you ALL! Calvin Reid, you continue to be a driving force in my rise to success. Thank you for being one of the first to see something special in me. And lots of love to all the book bloggers out there who’ve helped get the word out about the LAW series. I’m so proud to be a part of your reading lives.
To all of those out there who are continuing to tell amazing stories, and inspire me on a daily basis to create bigger and better and more complicated characters. You are amazeballs: Joss Whedon, Ryan Murphy, Meg Cabot, Tina Fey, Ellen DeGeneres, Tori Spelling, and Judd Apatow. Thank you for letting me into your worlds.
And of course, I couldn’t survive without my own “coven”: Tammy West, I’ll never again make the mistake of lumping you in with others… you’re the inspiration for every sassy thing said in this book; Amanda Healy, you keep me calm when my life feels like chaos; Kate Chapman, you’re always there for me and the first to cheer me on; Mary Eustace, you were the first person to read WTS, thanks for your encouragement and love; Darcey West, you’re better than a publicist and such a great friend; Rebecca Schuman, you never told me I couldn’t achieve this impossible dream; Jessica Grant, you might be the only one who fully understands the rejection and strength it takes to go on this journey—keep at it; Marisa Walker, my first six books wouldn’t have been readable without your editing, guidance, and friendship; Morgan McMurrin, you are a bright, shining light on every dark day; Jessica Pribush, your support has never wavered; Courtney McCabe, there’s no one more passionate about life and love; Stephanie Perricone, you’re SO the president of my fan club; Toni Misthos, you are the reason people picked up my first six books in the first place; Sue Chouinard, thanks for always welcoming me into your family; Alicia Chouinard, you are the original Hadley and my biggest cheerleader; Denise Cummings and Pip’s Place, thanks for plying me with gluten-free fuel so that I could write for hours every day.
My family, new and always—you’re the ones who are there for me through every up and every down. Without your love and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Mom, you’re my rock, my best friend, and my biggest fan. Couldn’t have done this without you. Dad, thanks for letting me pave the way and never telling me to dream smaller. Jacey, I wish I were half as cool as you are. Amy, you’re one of the most determined people I know. Cody and Cash, you both rock my world. Andrea, Price, Katy, and Ryan, you’ve given me another family that loves me unconditionally and will always be there to cheer me on. Thank you for allowing me to be a Gielen.
To The Powers That Be, I get now that I’ve just got to let things happen the way that they’re supposed to. Your plan is much bigger—and so much better—than mine ever was. Thanks for letting me tell your stories.
Lastly, to my husband, Matty. Thank you for indulging in my grand ideas and for encouraging me to let my mind run wild. You’re the funniest, smartest, and most driven person I know and I couldn’t ask for a better guy to take over the world with. I love you like a kid with celiac disease loves gluten-free cake. (And that’s a lot!)