by Katie Zaber
The burning in my stomach begins to settle my nerves, giving me resolution. Emotions are beneath me. They were a part of my past, not my present, and I pray they won’t infect my future.
I take one last breath to still my mind and cross the threshold into the council chambers. The members lock their eyes on me. I allow the moment to stretch out as the room grows tense with anticipation. After I glance at each individual present, I step forward into the room. There is only one chair empty other than my own, but we all know where he is.
“Good evening. Shall we begin?”
The End
Apology & Acknowledgment
For the last three years, I have forgotten birthdays, anniversaries, and important events. Instead, I have slowly become more and more reclusive, relentlessly scribbling down stories, refusing to leave my apartment unless there was a promise of food and wine.
While typing this page, I can’t help but think of all the people who I have ignored, silenced, shushed, put my phone on Do Not Disturb, canceled on or completely forgotten because I’m just too busy writing.
I’m sorry. Really, I am.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean I’m going to stop. With how many books I have plotted and planned, it will be hard for me to focus on anything else. But to those who haven’t been deterred by my—I’m too busy response—thank you. You have kept me grounded, semi-sane, fed, hydrated and buzzed, and above all, loved.
None of this would be possible without my editor, Susan Gottfried. From correcting my horrific grammar and dyslexia, to keeping me from losing my mind… you are the best. Agata Broncel from Bukovero Book Cover Design—your creative designs continue to blow me away.
Really, I’m eternally grateful, but I have to keep this short and get back to work, I just can’t stop write now.
Katie
P.S. — Be on the lookout for the next installment in the Dalya series, Below Dark Waters, coming this summer.
DNA, a standalone book about a prophesied pregnancy, should be out in the fall.
About the Author
Katie Zaber knows the best way to decide who is cooking dinner is with a Nerf gun fight in the living room. Her boyfriend is an exceptional cook. When she isn’t baking, going to wine tastings, or reading, she’s busy planning her next trip to Six Flags Great Adventure or Long Beach Island, New Jersey. As a child, her mother would read stories about Atlantis and other fictional places that she dreamed of exploring, fueling her love of history, adventure, and fantasy. After spending her days working in a coffee shop, she moved up the ladder getting an office job where she unfortunately was involved in a filing accident. Unable to move, bored out of her mind, and desperate for entertainment, she turned to her imagination and began writing. These days, she finds herself captivated by her many projects and is currently working on the second book in her Dalya series, Below Dark Waters. Katie loves to hear from her fans, follow her author page on Facebook and Amazon.