The Rending, page 31
Liam: the brilliant little boy who first made me an aunt. You were the inspiration for this novel. I hope your imagination only continues to grow as you do.
My other nieces and nephews: Ewan, Callum, Gemma, Jonathan, Scarlett, Roman, and Caspian. I hope as you get older, you develop an appreciation for stories as I have because stories are simply truth disguised as fiction.
Mrs. Chappelle, Mrs. Trapp, Mrs. Boone, and Mrs. Miller, the teachers who fostered my creativity and talents throughout high school. Never underestimate the power of an excellent teacher.
My test audience: Amy, Kaitlin, Camira, Ashley, Crystal, Linda, Marsha, Paul, and J. Carey. Your feedback through the final steps of editing was an amazing help, and your words of encouragement carried me across the finish line when I wondered if I would make it.
My readers. I may not see your faces or know all of your names, but I appreciate your choice to support my journey by reading this novel. Thanks for spending some of your valuable time with me.
My precious-beyond-words baby girl, Hazel. Thank you for making me a mother in the midst of this wild journey toward publication. You are a blessing from above; a beloved treasure.
Tim, the sun to my sunflower, the song to my songbird. Thank you for challenging me and being my rock to lean on. If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably still be brooding over finding an editor for this novel. It was your gentle nudge that motivated me to take that first leap of faith, and for that, I’m forever grateful. I love you infinity forever blackout.
And finally, I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Everything I am and everything I strive to be is because of You. If I truly accomplish only one thing in this life, I hope it’s that I love others as You first loved me. Though I constantly fall short, You welcome me back with open arms. Thank you for designing me with a desire to tell stories, and allowing me the choice to be a part of the greatest story ever told.
About the Author
S. E. Shinault discovered her passion for storytelling as an awkward seventh-grader when she was inspired to pen her first novel. She’s been writing her heart out ever since. She loves writing about rebel underdogs, expansive conflicts, and spacefaring escapades, sometimes with underlying theological themes to reflect her Christian faith.
When not working on her bookish undertakings, she can often be found geeking out over her favorite movies and TV shows, reading, dabbling in photography, playing video games, sketching, or composing tunes at the piano. If she’s not otherwise occupied, she’s definitely daydreaming about her next book.
She currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband and infant daughter.
The Rending is her debut novel.
To learn more, visit her website at www.seshinault.com
S. E. Shinault, The Rending
