Intrepid (42 page)
Authors: J.D. Brewer
To my Friends and Family
Thank you for being patient and supportive through this entire process. I know that I’m not always present when I’m in the drafting and editing stage, but I am thankful that you don’t take offense when I miss a bar-b-q or a night out. I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am without the love and support of each and every one of you.
To Laura Beasley Ottensman
Your artwork is stunning, and I still can’t believe you agreed to paint the book covers for the
Intrepid
series! You seriously went above and beyond anything I could have imagined. You’ve given me such a gift, and I will never be able to thank you enough for your time and talent. You truly are a sister to me, and I love you terribly much!
To Matthew Stensland
-
Bos
You’ve done an amazing job proofreading
Intrepid
and
Vagabond
. You have an eye for the nitty-gritty, and you’ve taught me so much about my own strange writing habits. I’ll seriously never be able to look at an em dash the same after what we’ve gone through.
Seriously. I am so lucky to have stumbled upon you in this world.
I encourage anyone who needs an editor to visit Mathew at:
This man does a variety of different editing and writing services, and he’s amazing!
To Sarah Martin
We’ve spent so much time on the phone this year, laughing our tushes off over the most random things. But mainly, you were there to talk me through the scary stuff about writing and publishing. Every time I needed advice or to talk through an idea, you were my creative support. Thank you so much for helping me finalize the book cover (twice now), and being an amazing friend. I’m lucky to have you in my world.
To Sarita Knull
I know this may seem like a random acknowledgement, but thank you for taking the time to explain how to work headers and footers on a Word document! None of the forums were giving me answers, and in twenty short minutes over Facebook, you explained what I couldn’t figure out in a year and a half. You have no idea what it meant to me. Thank you! (Taylor thanks you too, because he was worried he’d walk in on me screaming at my computer while trying to format
Intrepid
for print.)
To My Imagination Specialists
You have explored so many versions of this novel, and given feedback on each one until I got it right. You were kind but honest, and for this, you were intrepid. This is why Beta Readers is such an inadequate term for you, because in reality, you were my editors. You kept me honest with my characters, the plot, and my intentions with both. The words thank you are inadequate, but here they are.
Darian Cano
.
You’ve got an amazing spirit following you around, and I’m so glad you happened to sit across from me one evening at Zelec’s. It was a crazy, random happenstance that we met, but I’m so glad we did. Thank you so much for being an avid reader and being able to contribute despite your busy schedule. This is book number two for you, and I’m glad you’re still on this adventure with me.
Alexandra Kelly
.
Our summer at Bread Loaf Santa Fe was such a treat. I’m so glad we’ve become friends, and I’m super excited that you were willing to help me out with
Intrepid
! The way you look at stories is so thorough and refreshing. You have the gift of an analytical mind, and it really helped tighten up some holes in the plot and character development that I was struggling with. Thank you for helping me make this novel something I could be proud of.
Cameron McClure
.
You have seen the
original
version of
Intrepid.
You read it at its worst and still remained positive. I might even argue you were a little too positive, because when I think back on that draft, I cringe! You’ve seen
Intrepid
move from what it was to what it has become, and I can’t wait to see what you think about the final draft. You’ve been an amazing friend for carrying a table up three flights of stairs for my first book signing, coaching me through how to talk about my book without blushing, and always cheering me on. Thank you.
Laura Reagan
.
You’ve been an great set of eyes on both of my novels so far, and you’re input is always fresh and positive. I am so lucky we had that random conversation out at the ranch where you said, “I’d love to read
Vagabond
!” Now, two novels later, you’re still putting up with me. Thank you so much for the speedy returns and the encouragement. It’s been so much fun getting to know you during this process.
Janet Reagan
.
I just need to call you the Queen of the Spelling Bee. You have an eye for the technical, and you remind me to write for my audience. For
Vagabond
and
Intrepid
, you’ve helped me zoom in on those little details that I sometimes miss. I appreciate all of your help and enthusiasm.
Larissa Snyder
.
We met in the green mountains, far, far away from Texas. The summers we spent in Vermont are some of my favorites, and I’m lucky to call you a friend. That summer, you talked me through the hard decisions I had to make in order to become a writer, and you’ve been excited for me ever since. Your enthusiasm through the editing process was contagious. The comments and questions that left a colorful trail along the margins made me think, but they also made me laugh. You really got
involved
with the characters, and the way you fell in love with some of them made my heart leap with joy. You were available for hour long conversations to analyze every little thing I did, and I’ll never forget how you said, “Nobu is like a cross between Obi-wan and the Dalai Lama. He’s the Obi-lama.” You’ve been a true, true friend, and I hate that you live so far away.
Ryan Spencer
.
You’re probably one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Your enthusiasm for poetry and the outdoors is inspiring, and you’ve been such a supportive friend with everything. It was nice to be able to sit outside at your picnic table and talk about ways to strengthen the novel. I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy life to be a pair of fresh eyes on
Intrepid
, and I’m lucky to have a friend like you.
Stellar Schaefer
.
Thank you for being enthusiastic about editing over Thanksgiving. You’re only two and a half at this point, but you’ve technically edited on pieces of
Intrepid
by drawing Christmas Trees all over the backs of the pages. Instead of hanging out and playing, you kept saying, “Aunt Duckie, let’s go edit,” and, “I’m a work-holic.” Thank you for holding me accountable when all I wanted to do was eat and hang out.
About the Author:
J.D. BREWER
Some people call J.D. Brewer a leprechaun, but they just don’t understand that she’s simply vertically challenged. There are those who say she’s fiercer than a baby pterodactyl, despite the fact that she was probably a stegosaurus in another life. Others have titles for her that are a bit more generic: friend, teacher, student, family, etc.
The truth is, she spends her time gathering moments from the people (and puppies) she loves, and from those moments, she creates. She glues letters into words, words into thoughts, and thoughts into questions. When she’s not out having a blast in the universe she shares with you, she’s creating her own through pen, paper, and keyboard.
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About the Artist:
Laura Ottensman
Laura Ottensman is a self taught artist who, from an early age, loved drawing horses and unicorns any chance she could get. Laura's work is a reflection of her love for light, earth and its inhabitants. After running around in circles through college wondering what she would major in, she finally realized she should do what she is good at and pursue painting. She finished school and turned her focus towards her art, where she now works full time in her South Texas studio.
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