Many Thanks…

I didn’t include a dedication page in Roxie, primarily because there were too many people to thank and I didn’t want it to be longer than the book itself. I’ll do it here, and I’ll try to be brief, but I’m not very good at brevity. Here goes…

A heartfelt thank you to the following:

My beloved wife, Michelle, who has stood by me through it all: She remembers when I first had the idea for Roxie 17 years ago and she’s seen me through every step of the way since. When my confidence has been down (which has been the case several thousand times through the publishing process), she was right there to lift me up. Every day I fall more deeply in love with this girl, who has inspired so many of the themes in this book. Thank you, Girlie! I love you.

My boys, Mason, Marshall, and Deacon: Well, Deacon didn’t really do anything. He’s just a baby. But the others have been wonderful. Marshall’s eyes lit up when he saw the paperback for the first time. And Mason has probably been more excited about Roxie than even I have been! I think he’s very proud of me, and as a dad I can’t begin to explain how powerful that feels. That boy’s tenderness and enthusiasm make every day of my life so much more meaningful and enjoyable. I’d say that someday he’s going to be something really special, but he already is.

My parents, John and Joan Geary: My mother has been more excited about the book than even Mason! Every time we talk, she asks how the process is going, which I greatly appreciate. A terrific writer herself, she has provided me with knowledge and insight, helping me to hone my skills not just during the work on Roxie, but throughout my whole life. I can still remember her reading to me every night before bed. And my Dad has given me the greatest gift a father can give his son: he has shown pride in me and confirmed the value of the book, which means a lot coming from a guy who truly recognizes when something is of value. I love you both.

My sister, Samantha Kaatz, and her husband, Dan: Samantha is a beautiful writer and holds a degree in English from the University of Wisconsin. I have pestered her time and time and time again about grammar, usage, tense, and pacing, to the point that I feel like she should get an honorary teaching certificate from UW for all she’s passed on to me (and she’s undoubtedly picking apart this blog post as she reads it). Samantha has been an amazing cheerleader and coach throughout the process. And as a new husband, Dan does such a good job of becoming engaged in everything Samantha cares about, and Roxie is no exception.

My pastor, Dan Meyer, Christ Church of Oak Brook: Dr. Meyer baptized me when I was 28 years old, and I feel like in that alone, I’ll always have a connection to him. But my admiration for him goes far beyond that. When I was resistant to church and had to be dragged there by my wife, it was Dr. Meyer’s words that kept me coming back week after week. It was his engaging sermons that illuminated the Word of God in such a way that helped a defiant wanderer become a committed Christian, and for that, I’ll be forever grateful.

My friend, Scott Power: A brilliant mind, an artist, a writer, a lover of life, an insightful thinker. Scott took time out of his busy life to help mold this book, getting deep into the words unlike anyone else had. Through his own writing and his one-on-one guidance, he helped turn Roxie from sloppy to polished, while also pushing me to add more depth and layers to the story. And most importantly, he limited my use of adverbs! I can’t wait to help him any way I can when he gets ready to be published himself.

My friend, Dave Young: Dave sat and listened to me pour over details of the book and the writing/publishing process over countless bonfires in his front lawn, and at every step of the way he remained engaged and enthusiastic. And I will forever recognize Dave as the guy who bought the first copy of my first book!

My mentors, Kristen Sauer and Laura Wolfe: These two dedicated Christians were so inspirational in helping me formulate the ideas for the book and provided me with the mental clarity I needed to see it through to the end. They both took such interest in my life and my journey and I am forever grateful.

My publishing agent, Niki Manbeck: Niki has helped turn a rough Microsoft Word document into a fine tuned, beautifully bound novel, for which she deserves a lot of credit. And Niki and I will always have the amazing story of how we met, which stands as a daily reminder of God’s intervention and his hand in our lives. I plan on writing a blog about it soon, but it’s such a good story it could almost be a novel itself!

My project manager, Hannah McKenzie: At no point in the publishing process did I ever feel lost or without information. Hannah kept me up to date and pushed me through the steps. Even with the distance between Chicago and Seattle, it felt like she was at my side the whole time.

My various circles of friends: I am so blessed to have made so many great relationships within so many different groups. I feel like I have the support of hundreds of people at any given time and I cherish the strong bonds so many of you have created with me over the years. Thank you to everyone in each of the following: My extended family, The Clique, my neighbors, my brothers and sisters at Christ Church of Oak Brook, the communities of Lyons Township High School and Western Illinois University, my fellow air traffic controllers, the Whittier community, the brothers of Phi Kappa Theta, the team at Patriot Boxing, my church small group, the staff at Redemption Press, and the good people at Collaborative Marketing Group.  

But above all else, Thanks be to God! Coming from a background of no religious training, faith, or practice, entering a church was the farthest thing from my mind. In 2009, we were thinking about starting a family and my wife suggested finding a local church that we could raise our kids in. Of course, I balked at the idea, but she is my wife and along with that title comes a certain power, so I ultimately succumbed. I remember telling her, “I’ll go along to support you, but don’t expect me to do anything or buy into any of this nonsense.” …But God had different plans. He blessed me with a team of spiritual guides (thank you Joe Carlson and your “brother” Phil Carlson), a group of people that I fought and debated and argued with incessantly until the day God’s redemptive power hit me like a ton of bricks. From that day forward, I’ve been committed to the Book and the teachings of Christ. If you had told me then that I’d be a weekly church attendee, a member of a Bible study, or the author of a Christian novel, I’d probably have laughed you out of the room. But now, it is His glory that I’m after and it’s His work I strive to complete. While writing this book, He gave me all the right words and the order in which to assemble them and I pray that Roxie’s message extends His noble cause.