Penelope in Retrograde: A Novel(81)

“Real or fake?”

“Real.”

“I’m in.”

“Good. Then I can give you this.” He reaches into his pocket. It’s a necklace with a rainbow moonstone pendant. “I noticed you weren’t wearing your old one anymore.” My hand instinctively reaches for my neck. “The lady at the shop I got it from says it’s supposed to symbolize new beginnings.”

A wave of emotion I can only describe as utter contentment washes over me like a cool ocean breeze. He motions for me to move my hair out of the way, then drapes the delicate pendant around my neck and takes a step back to admire it.

“What do you think?”

“Beautiful.” He lifts my chin and kisses me. “The necklace is nice too.”

“Where are you taking me?” I pull my helmet on.

“Wherever you want to go.”

“Home,” I say.

For the first time in forever, I want to go home.





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


It sounds cliché, but it takes a village to create a book.

To my brilliant agent, Joanna MacKenzie, thank you for being my champion. You are one of the best humans I know, and I feel incredibly lucky to have you represent my books.

To my excellent editorial duo from Amazon, Selena James and Kristi Yanta, thank you for seeing potential in my words and molding them into this story that I’m so incredibly proud to have written. Both Penny and I have come a long way in a short time, and we owe that to the both of you.

To my critique partner and forever friend Falon Ballard, you have no idea how many times you kept me going when I wanted to give up. You are the best thing I’ve ever found on the internet.

To my Pitch Wars mentor Katie Golding, you picked me at a time in my life when I really needed someone to choose me. Thank you for teaching me how to write.

To Lyssa Mia Smith and Jumata Emill, thank you for cheering me on. It’s been a pleasure to read your words and to have you both provide a safe space for mine.

I would be remiss not to acknowledge how Brenda Drake’s Pitch Wars mentorship program influenced, improved, and encouraged my writing. While Pitch Wars is no longer an active program, bookshelves around the world are better for it having existed, and I am forever grateful to have been a part of the program as a mentee and mentor.

To my extended family and friends who have encouraged and inspired my writing, thank you for supporting this wild dream of mine. Fair warning, if your name wasn’t given to a character in this book, it is highly likely you’ll find yourself in the next.

To my mom and sister, thank you for providing me with a lifetime of material. Little pieces of you both are weaved throughout the Banks family in all the best ways.

To my three children, my life would be so boring without you. I would be so boring without you. I hope you always want to come home for the holidays. Thank you for making me a better person.

To my husband, thank you for letting me be a whole planet instead of a moon. My dreams are real because you want them to come true just as much as I do.

And finally, I lost a member of my village during the creation of this book. Jim, I hope you get to see this book from wherever you’re sitting, and I hope, for my sake, you actually read the ending.