I have a confession to make. I can’t tell you where the idea for this book came from. The first words of the first draft were written over a decade ago before I stopped writing to focus on my legal career and starting a family. For a while, I’d given up on my dream of publishing a novel someday. But then the pandemic happened. And we all realized just how much of our lives we’d been taking for granted. I stopped thinking of writing as something I’d return to “someday,” and combed through my old Dropbox files for unfinished stories I could use to remind myself how to write a book. So much of that journey of rediscovery spilled over into parts of Rachel and Nathan’s story. Like Rachel, I had to figure out how to balance being a wife and mother, with excavating an old passion. Nathan’s fan art was a way to honor the role fandom played in my writing journey and discovering my voice. So, while I can’t pinpoint the exact moment The Art of Scandal was formed, I can easily tell you what this story is about. This is a book about all the different shapes of love. It’s about how passion creates us, hurts us, and heals us, but also shows us who we really are.
I’m so grateful to my agent, Sharon Pelletier, for believing in this book and being a champion for me and my work. To my editor, Seema Mahanian, who helped me find the beating heart of Rachel and Nathan’s story. I have learned so much from working with you and I’m eternally grateful for your wisdom and encouragement. Kirsiah McNamara, thank you for playing a huge part in whipping this book into shape. Angelina Krahn, Tareth Mitch, and Lauren Bello: I couldn’t have asked for a better editorial team. To Lila Selle for designing the cover of my dreams. To Tiffany Porcelli, Alana Spendley, and Kamrun Nesa for working so hard to make sure this book reached the readers it was meant for.
A huge thank-you to my Pitch Wars mentors Denise Williams and Charish Reid, for plucking me out of the submission pile and teaching me how to revise a novel. To everyone behind the Pitch Wars program that basically changed my life. To my Pitch Wars Romance family, Courtney, Nikki, Sarah, Ella, and Amy, I don’t think I could have survived all this without you. Vanessa, Alicia, and Jessica, your support has meant the world to me. To Monica and Adrianna, for helping me depict Nathan’s identity and heritage with respect and care. To Kristen and Rebecca, for cheering me on and making the day job bearable when juggling it all felt overwhelming.
Thank you to my parents, for your unconditional love and wisdom. To Vivian, for sharing your love of books. If you were still with us, I know you’d be proud. To James and Finley, for being the loves of my life. You are and will always be my reason. To Karen, for always believing I could do this, and loving all my characters as much (if not more) than I do. To Angel, for being the best twin sister I could ever ask for. All those summer library trips hauling heavy backpacks stuffed with books were worth it.
And finally, a huge thanks to you, my readers. Time is a gift and I’m honored to have been the recipient of yours.