Blocked (35 page)

As I said above, when writing, I tend to think everything is important…EVERYTHING. What I’ve learned through the process of writing is one of the most important things an author needs is a good beta reader. I was fortunate enough to have several amazing women on my team. Each offered unique insight to my story, and it was through their eyes that I was able to fully see my work. Fleshing out unnecessary words/parts as well as adding to sections that I may have seen clearly in my head but not translated effectively onto paper. Thank you
Joanne Schwehm
,
Debi Barnes
,
Erin Noelle
,
Ilsa Madden-Mills, Jennie Wurtz,
and
Lauren Collins
you ladies are the dream team of Betas!!!!

After all of the writing and re-writing, after the beta reading and the fixing of the most common things, what I heard from each of my beta team was, “You have a ton of grammar issues, but the editor will fix that…right?” My editors are actually superheroes. I mean that, truly. I feel so blessed to have them in my life.
Pamela Snyder
, you have been with me for a while now and I appreciate how you always make time for me. You’re steady and calm, kind and caring with my words. Thank you.
Cassie Cox
, you recently came into my life and wow, you’re like an encyclopedia of grammatical knowledge. I almost want to come up with questions just to see if you’ll have the answers. Thank you for your help. I look forward to working with both of you in the future.

Once my mess of words has become an edited story, I send them to one of the most talented and patient women I know.
Julie Titus
of JT Formatting has been with me since my very first book making the woman a true saint. No matter how many times I’ve rescheduled (with notice), no matter how many times I’ve had to change things, no matter how many questions I’ve had, Julie has kindly answered them without ever showing an ounce of irritation or frustration. See…a saint. I adore you, Julie.

Dave Griffin, you my friend are in Chapter Eighteen. My part is complete. Your turn.

To Edward Galgon and Jasun Romain at Montgomeryville Acura, thank you for helping me out. Believe it or not, you’ve inspired me more than you know.

Speaking of inspiration, writing is a solitary profession. So many hours are spent in silence with only the tapping of the keys on the laptop for background noise. Without intending to sound rude, unless one is in the field, it’s impossible to understand the lifestyle. I have been fortunate, lucky, blessed (you name it) to have found some of the most incredible friends a girl could ever want through this business. While the list is long, there is just a small little group that I can honestly say I wouldn’t be able to survive in the writing world without.
Joanne Schwehm, L.b Simmons
and
Ilsa Madden-Mills
you three are my sisters. I can’t believe I got through life before meeting you. All of you are different from the other, yet each such an integral part to my life.

Ilsa
, you are my sweet southern lady. You’re honest and kind and even when you aren’t, it still sounds like you are ;). You are one of my favorite people in the world to talk to, because I know how much you truly care about me and whatever nonsense I’m sputtering on about.

L.b
, you have been my other half since the start. I feel your happy and your sad. The conversations that we can have through nothing more than emojis will forever crack me up! But NOTHING will ever be better than the time we had a full conversation while we acted out the emojis ;)

Joanne
, (the second funniest person I know) seriously? Our relationship is not normal. I fluffing love you. Yes, it’s true, if not for you we’d both have ten books written by now, but I wouldn’t give up even one of our phone conversations no matter how many books we could have written. There is something so therapeutic about the amount of laughing we do each day. Agree? Thank you for being just as crazy as I am. Thank you for loving my characters as much as I do. Thank you for letting me corrupt you. And thank you for taking Jon and me to Line and Bull, I belong there…for real!! Your family has become mine and I couldn’t be happier. I love you.

I’m not sure I’ve ever laughed as much in my thirty some-odd years as I have since meeting you ladies. Thank you. There aren’t enough ways to express my love for you.

To the
Danny’s Dolls
– You chicks rock! You show up to play at Happy Hour, you pimp my work, and most importantly, you inspire me to keep working.
Erin Marie Fisher, Heidi Goodwin-Small and Debi Barns,
thank you for corralling the group each week. Happy Hour would be a lot less fun if it was just me sitting by myself. Remember, no matter how hard times get…a Dirty Mind is a terrible thing to waste ;).

Thanks to all of the
bloggers
who have posted and reviewed for me and my books. You have screamed my name and spread my words, my gratitude is unending.

While I may spend way too much time wrapped up in my fictional world, I have to come out sometimes. My real life is crazy busy with kids, family, and day-to-day stuff. But something I have learned over the last few years is that when one keeps themselves locked away behind a computer screen it’s easy to lose contact with friends and acquaintances; so thank you
Dara Brecher
and
Roni Jaffe
for never giving up on me. Thank you for texting and calling me even when I suck at getting back to you. You girls are my tether to the real world and not only would I be lost without you, but I’m blessed to have you.

To my husband and sons, I love you. I love you so hard it’s crazy. I know it’s hard living with me when I’m writing so thank you for your patience and your understanding.
Jon
, thank you for doing the laundry! You’re so good at it I think you should continue to do it all of the time!! Boys, there are so many parts of Eli and Charlie’s personalities that I stole from you. Thank you for the inspiration. You both are the best teachers a mom could ever ask for.

Last but certainly far from least, to
You
, my readers, there are not enough words in the English language to properly thank you for all you’ve done for me. Thank you for putting your faith in me and continuing to read my stories. I appreciate you.

XO,

Lisa N Paul

About the Author

LISA N. PAUL is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, reader, writer, blogger, and self-proclaimed comedian—just not always in that order. Ever since she was a little girl, she has devoured books. Falling in love with the Sweet Valley High series at a young age drew Lisa to series books and inspired her to write her own.
Thursday Nights
,
Storm Front
and
Breaking to Breath
are the first three books in her Charistown series.
Blocked
is a standalone novel.

When not writing, Lisa can be found eating French fries and Godiva raspberry truffles, or hanging out with her husband and two sons.

Visit her website at
http://www.lisanpaul.com

Other Titles by Lisa N. Paul

THE CHARISTOWN SERIES

Thursday Nights
(Book One)

Storm Front
(Book Two)

Breaking to Breathe
(Book Three)

Cheers in Charistown – COMING SOON