by A. Catherine
When COVID-19 came into our lives, bringing all of our social interactions to a stop, I lost my job. I still was going to school but doing so online. I found myself with way too much time on my hands. So I continued my work on Alliance, and even sparked ideas for other stories as well.
I finished the first draft of Immortal Alliance right in time for my birthday in August 2020. Although there was still so much editing and reviewing work to do, accomplishing such a huge feet brought life back into my soul, and my spiral was done. Now when I look to the future, I don’t feel overwhelming grief and pain, instead I see possibilities and hope.
I found perspective in Heather. I found strength in Seere and trust in Gabriel. I found a sense of resilience in Kale, and order in Azrael. There is so much growth that all of these characters go through, some of which will always remain behind the gates of my mind. And I hope that others will find a place in this story in which they can fight their inner demons and be a badass.
Thank you, Immortal Alliance, for teaching me that nothing can conquer me.
Acknowledgements
First and foremost I need to thank my husband, Ian. He has been with me every step of the way, going over every tiny detail of this series, working out the kinks and brainstorming with me to create the story structure. Even when he may not have desired to hear more about it, he listened to me go on and on about the characters, their relationships, the world building—everything with a fine-tooth comb and provided feedback. This man is my gravity, holding me to the ground and keeping me focused. Even if he knows this story inside and out, backwards, and forwards, he still didn’t hesitate to be my first initial editor, and he will always be the opinion I care most about. Thank you, my love, I couldn’t possibly to this without your love and support.
S. Wunderink, for her editing work on this book. I got lucky and found her through booktok (tiktok), and we connected right away. It was amazing how she jumped right in and gave me constructive, honest, and reassuring feedback about a book that started out so impactful for me. Thank you for all your hard work, this success is also yours.
I’d like to thank one of my best friends, AnnElise for her words of encouragement. She has done nothing but encourage me to keep going, hype up my progress and make me smile. She is an inspiration to me, always a positive beam of light in my dark and dreary world. I couldn’t ask for a better friend or support system.
Of course, I have to thank my mother-in-law, Cyndie. She too has listened while I hash out my infinite number of ideas. All while she provided endless support and encouragement. She has and always will continue to remind me that I am loved and how big a part I am in their family. Cyndie, thank you so much, I truly love you with all my heart, and I promise, grandkids are on the agenda.
Gregory, thank you for being my first official beta reader on this book. As an avid reader yourself, I knew that your opinion would be reflective of what I am hoping my readers capture while reading this series. Thank you for your open-mindedness, your support and encouragement.
My college professors—Ramon, Emily & Kathryn have been inspirations for me since day one. Ramon reminding me that all of our stories are important and his feedback to my work only further inspired me to keep improving. Emily for her endless light of encouragement. A woman who puts equality and mental health above all else. I was working as her assistant director on a theatre production when the idea for this series captured and hooked me in. Emily only added to my excitement and helped me believe in myself. Kathryn, my mentor, my friend. A sparkling dazzle of energy who will always be one of the greatest people in my life. Thank you all for your support and encouragement.
My student teaching mentor teacher, Mr. Higgins. During my three months of student teaching and finishing my degree I was also in the final editing process of this book. Higgins gave me encouragement and spread word like wildfire. I’m not one to brag about myself, so to have someone in my corner boasting about this major accomplishment was a huge deal for me. Thank you Higgins!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A.CATHERINE is an indie author residing in the Pacific Northwest. Recent cum laude graduate from Central WA University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Education and a minor in Family Science. She intends on pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in 2022.
Storytelling has, and always will be the core of who she is. Whether it be on the live stage, in the classroom, typed up in a computer or between the fragile pages of a journal—storytelling is her passion. She is happily married, a mother of four fur-babies; two cats and two dogs, a teacher, an avid reader, and a lover of the Performing Arts.