Piece of Work
Page 25
My beta readers are unmatched—they are a discerning, thoughtful crew and never let me get away with anything. Sasha Erramouspe, who read this manuscript three times like an absolute saint. Dylan Allen, who had many a long talks with me about diversity and writing assholes. Abbey Byers, who read the manuscript twice, once during which she endured several hours of obsessive voice messaging wherein we dissected poor, toasty marshmallow Court. And to the rest of my beta readers—Kris Duplantier, Sarah Green, Ace Grey, Meagan Hunt, Danielle Legasse, Lori Riggs—thank you. Thank you for your time, your minds, your feedback, your energy. Thank you for slapping my manuscript in the mouth when it smarted off. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
It takes a village to release a book, and I am so fortunate to have such an incredible team behind me. Jenn Watson and Sarah Ferguson of Social Butterfly, you have once again gone above and beyond. Your hand-holding and hair-petting skills are next level. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Lauren Perry, you always murder my photo shoots, every single time, and this was no exception. Thank you for taking my vision and executing it so precisely, so beautifully. Anthony Coletti, thank you for your constant support and steady hand. Without your help, this career would be a much, much scarier place. Jovana Shirley and Ellie McLove, thank you for cleaning up this story, for making it shiny and pretty and as close to perfect as three women possibly could.
Research is no easy feat, and with a diverse heroine, the world of curation, and a trip to Italy, I had a lot of questions. For all of those who have been a part of reading this story for sensitivity, thank you. Writing a novel about a person of color is something important to me, important to the world, and as a woman who has a good-sized, very white blind spot, I sought out all the help I could to ensure I did it right. Thank you to Lauren Stump for educating me about curation and the ins and outs of your day and career. And thank you to Hilaria Alexander for making sure I chose the right Italian word for penis. I knew I could count on you.
There’s this little corner of the internet where my readers come to hang out, and this shout-out is for Read Your Hart Out. I love you all so much—you are my safe place, my favorite place. Thank you for always being there, for always cheering, for always sharing your excitement for each and every release. I love you, SweetHarts!
To every blogger who has read and reviewed, to every person who has shared and supported, your hard work and dedication is seen, it’s appreciated, and I love you for everything you do. Your jobs are largely thankless, but I want to say right now, thank you. I can’t tell you how much every one of you means to me.
And to every reader, thank YOU. Thank you for taking the time to read my stories, for spending a minute in my world, for taking a chance on me. Thank you for everything.
Until next time, friends.
Also by Staci Hart
CONTEMPORARY STANDALONES
Bad Habits
With a Twist (Bad Habits 1)
A ballerina living out her fantasies about her high school crush realizes real love is right in front of her in this slow-burn friends-to-lovers romantic comedy.
Chaser (Bad Habits 2)
He’d trade his entire fortune for a real chance with his best friend’s little sister.
Last Call (Bad Habits 3)
All he’s ever wanted was a second chance, but she’ll resist him at every turn, no matter how much she misses him.
The Austen’s
Wasted Words (Inspired by Emma)
She’s just an adorkable, matchmaking book nerd who could never have a shot with her gorgeous best friend and roommate.
A Thousand Letters (Inspired by Persuasion)
Fate brings them together after seven years for a second chance they never thought they’d have in this lyrical story about love, loss, and moving on.
A Little Too Late (Follow up to A Thousand Letters)
A story of finding love when all seems lost and finding home when you’re far away from everything you’ve known.
Living Out Loud (Inspired by Sense & Sensibility)
Annie wants to live while she can, as fully as she can, not knowing how deeply her heart could break.
The Tonic Series
Tonic (Book 1)
The reality show she’s filming in his tattoo parlor is the last thing he wants, but if he can have her, he’ll be satisfied in this enemies-to-lovers-comedy.
Bad Penny (Book 2)
She knows she’s boy crazy, which is why she follows strict rules, but this hot nerd will do his best to convince her to break every single one.
The Hardcore Serials
Hardcore: Complete Collection
A parkour thief gets herself into trouble when she falls for the man who forces her to choose between right and wrong.
HEARTS AND ARROWS
Greek mythology meets Gossip Girl in a contemporary paranormal series where love is the ultimate game and Aphrodite never loses.
Paper Fools (Book 1)
Shift (Book 2)
What the Heart Wants (Novella 2.5)
From Darkness (Book 3)
Fool’s Gold (Novella 3.5)
SHORT STORIES
Once
Desperate Measures
Nailed
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About the Author
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom to three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, even though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey, and her favorite word starts with f, ends with k.
From roots in Houston, to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north in Denver, until they grew a wild hair and moved to Holland. It’s the perfect place to overdose on cheese and ride bicycles, especially along the canals, and especially in summertime. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, gaming, or designing graphics.
www.stacihartnovels.com
staci@stacihartnovels.com