I drew this piece in honour of Roxanne Conrad. The first time I met Roxanne Conrad (aka Rachel Caine) I was 17 and very shy. She’d written my favourite series of books, and I was so determined to make it to the signing that I went even though my hip was out, so I was in a lot of pain. But honestly, she made me forget about the pain. We instantly clicked. We laughed and talked and she told me top secret info about upcoming projects. She signed all of my books, and it remains one of the best days of my life. I hugged her and told I loved her (because I am obviously very good at playing it cool 🙃) and we kept in touch afterwards. My Mom joked that we looked like mother & daughter, which made me so very happy 😂
Months after that first meeting, she sent me a huuuuuuuuge box full of goodies and more signed books, and I cried my eyes out. She sponsored me on a walk I did to raise money for research into my condition. Again, I cried my eyes out. She was truly one of the most wonderfully kind people I’ve ever known, and knowing her was a complete and utter privilege. She was just full of awesome, and I hope she knew that.
Don’t ever be afraid to tell people that you love them… even if there’s a slight chance that you’ll be removed from the building by security. You might never get that opportunity again. Knowing she’s gone from this world hurts more than I can say. Her stories helped me through some of the toughest times of my life, and her kindness created some of the most joyous times of my life. She was one of a kind. My thoughts are with her husband, her family, and her friends ❤️❤️❤️