Waking Up Joy Read online

  Also, thanks to my husband Albert who is my biggest supporter, and to our kids. I’m so proud of you Jake and Dawson for the extraordinary young men you have become, and am glad you never complain about Pizza. Hannah, this gift of writing flowed from mother to daughter, but you had to accept it for yourself. Keep writing, dreaming, and finding your own voice. I am incredibly proud of you.

  Huge thanks to the people of Northeastern Oklahoma for inspiring my imagination. Someone else needed to let everyone know that not all of Oklahoma is flat. Spavinaw Junction is fictitious, but the traits of humbleness, kindness, and generosity in Oklahomans are real. Thank you Donna Jane Harper for promoting my earlier novels at Colcord Grocery and at S&P. Miss Donna’s is for you. Special thanks to my early readers and cheerleaders, and especially to Lori Gardner, Heather Day Gilbert, and Barbara Gray for reading the final.

  I am also grateful to my brother Troy Gray and sister Cheri Kaufman and their families. We do not have the same problems as the Talleys, but we love each other as much. Thanks also to my mother-in-law Nancy Forkner for always being supportive of my work and to all my friends for putting up with cancelled coffee dates during deadline time and giving me encouragement.

  Thank you to my parents, Dennis and Barbara Gray, for recognizing early on that I was going to be a writer, and calling me one. I have amazing parents.

  And finally, thank you to Dahn Benzen Dunivent Shelton. A more genuine fan was never had by any author. I have not forgotten the day you came to my book signing pulling your oxygen tank and told me that yes, you were aware of what was going on during your medically induced coma. Thank you, Dahn. Our coffee date was a pleasure, and when I went to tell you about the new book, I learned you had passed away. R.I.P.

  Southern Born Books

  If you enjoyed Waking Up Joy, you’ll love some other Southern Born stories!

  Bet the House by Erika Marks

  Sweet Home Carolina by Kim Boykin

  The Perfect Score by Beth Albright

  Weekend with the Tycoon by Kaira Rouda

  For more information about our latest releases, check out our website at SouthernBornBooks.com and sign up for our newsletter!

  About the Author

  Tina Ann Forkner is a Women’s Fiction writer and the author of Rose House and Ruby Among Us. While she was born and raised in Oklahoma, lived in England, and attended college in California, Tina makes her home in Cheyenne, Wyoming with her husband, three teenagers, and two spoiled dogs.

  For the latest news from Tule Publishing, visit our website at TulePublishing.com and sign up for our newsletter here!