“I almost picked up the pen to write this book when I was twenty. I started seventeen years later! As a visual artist, I’ve always seen the process of creation as eliminating the unnecessary. My TLC manuscript reviewer’s literary expertise helped guide me to go straight to the essence. I had infused a lot of emotion into the draft, and he pinpointed segments that needed to be toned down so readers would have the space to feel the scenes on their own. He also advised me not to underplay certain stories. I was considering moving a dramatic scene to the very beginning of the book. When I got the report, he confirmed my intuition, a great sign from an experienced reader. While I did not put every piece of advice into action, I found it insightful to hear an in-depth, neutral, and fresh perspective.” From the Introduction