by Karina Sharp
and very serious.
You are not alone. You are not stuck. I know, because I’ve been there too. There is life beyond the one you know, and one very much worth living.
If you or someone you know needs help or resources, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or visit their website at www.thehotline.org.
If you are military, you can call the Military One Source for counseling or information at 1.800.342.9647, visit their website at www.militaryonesource.mil, or contact your base Chaplain, Command Ombudsman, or Platoon Key Volunteer.
All calls are confidential.
Author’s Note
Some details in this book regarding uniforms, duty stations, and other specifics regarding military life and housing are not always precise and purposefully fictionalized. I had the privilege to spend many years as a Navy spouse. Out of respect to the community and culture, I chose to either omit or change details as I saw fit.
Acknowledgements
So many people to thank!
Special, special thanks, from the bottom of my heart, to my sister Lisa Manning who endured every draft and revision and rewrite, and still encouraged me to publish this.
I owe a great deal of thanks to Allison Kinley who went along this crazy journey from just being a fleeting thought to an actual novel, helping me with early morning and late-night brainstorming. I can’t wait to help you publish your first book!
Thank you to my step mother-in-law Linda for giving excellent feedback and notes.
I would also like to thank my wonderful friends Shelley Brooks and Ashley Troklus, who are not only amazing friends, but also read some very rough drafts for me.
I want to thank the wonderful women who mentored me and became my friends while I was a military spouse. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for giving me the chance to help Navy families, for making up part of the best Command Leadership Team ever (you know who you are), for always supporting me, and for being great friends to me, even to this day.
I am also lucky enough to have an amazing group of beta readers who were willing to read a very rough version of an unknown novel written by an unknown person: Melissa Fantauzzi, Kristen Delcambre, and Emily Cottle –huge gratitude!
I would be remised if I did not recognize one of my best and oldest friends in the entire world, Natasha Smith, who inspired many of the unique one-liners and turns of phrase that these characters use.
I also owe a great debt of gratitude to the wonderful and talented author Mia Sheridan who not only inspired me to write, but helped me a great deal every step of the way during the design, formatting, and publishing phase. She is a wonderful person, and I am proud to be able to call her my friend. If you haven’t read her books, you simply MUST!
Lastly, to my husband– my one and only -and the person who listened to me whine and doubt myself, yet remained optimistic and encouraging the entire time. Thank you for always helping me push myself to do more and reach my goals.
About the Author
Karina Sharp is a former Navy spouse and former Navy Command Family Ombudsman. Karina is passionate about creating stories about relationships with strong female characters who not only find romance, but also learn about themselves in the process.
Karina Sharp was born in Southeast Texas, but has lived all over the country. Karina holds a Master’s of Education in Counseling Psychology from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from Chaminade University of Honolulu.
She has worked with a diverse population of clients- from convicted felons to the severely mentally ill to adolescents who have been placed in the care of the Child and Family Services, and she uses her experiences as inspiration to help give others a voice.
When she is not writing, Karina teaches aerobics, and runs races. She has also danced burlesque.
Karina lives in Louisville, KY with her husband, their two children, two chocolate labs, and two turtles.
Karina can be found online at: www.facebook.com/karinasharpauthor
www.twitter.com/thekarinasharp