Hot tears started running down my cheeks as I started to remember what had brought me here. Cali came over to the side of my bed, grabbed my hand, squeezing tightly. “Walker brought you here, Mags. He called me and your mom to come be with you and then ran away. None of us have been able to get a hold of him. He’s gone.”


The Ens

Special Thanks

To my wonderful parents: Natalie Ann and Douglas Mazzola opened their home and hearts to a baby, unexpectedly and without thinking twice about it. I am so blessed and thankful to have them as my parents and to be brought such a loving extended family, it just is more proof that everything happens for a reason! I am continually reminded how many people truly love me unconditionally and unselfishly and I am so very thankful to know that kind of love in my life. I love you Mom and Dad for being the wonderful parents you didn't have to be!

To my awesome random roomie: You have always been right there in my corner and have loved me no matter how crazy I have gotten at times.  Thank you for going through this entire journey with me, the late night character development calls, the rewrite of the entire ending and helping me get Crashing Back Down to be the story it is today.

To my Twin: You are amazing! Thank you for being my real life Cali and helping that character really take shape! And yes, your car does smell like cupcakes!

To my heterosexual life partner: Most people will think that I am insane for putting that title in the back of my book, but who cares! You have always been my best friend, since our first sleep over as infants! I do not know what I would do without your unwavering support in my life.

To my Beta readers: Grace, Jessica, Alyssa, and Kim! Ladies, thank you so much for helping me build the confidence in this book that I really needed to see it through.  Your advice and encouragement was key in this process and I could not have done this without you!

To my own true north: Michael James Burke! You are my everything and I love you with all my heart.  Thank you for supporting my late night writing sessions, my constant ramblings about characters and plot problems, and for my lack of a social life for almost the last year.  Your support and dedication to this project has turned it into something so much more than I could have ever dreamed! Thank you, Baby, for helping me see my dreams come true!

And to my mentors in the Indie Author world, K. Pinson (Author of In Spades) and Brittainy C. Cherry (Author of The Space In Between): Ladies, Ladies, Ladies! You two have been instrumental in my confidence during this entire process. Without the two of you answering my stupid, newbie-author questions, I probably would have given up! Thank you for reading a rough, un-edited copy of Crashing Back Down and convincing me that it was worth putting out there! You two are amazing!

Note from the author

Thank you for buying my debut novel. In doing so you have helped fulfill a very important goal of mine.  From every purchase of Crashing Back Down, I donate to the Marcie Mazzola Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to "help better the lives of abused and at-risk children; and to build community awareness regarding the needs of children".

The Marcie Mazzola Foundation was established in 2003 by my family. On July 6, 2002 Marcie died tragically in an automobile accident. Although she was only 21 at the time of her death, Marcie had experienced many things and touched many lives. She was a beautiful young woman whose inner beauty surpassed even her physical beauty because of her compassionate nature and treatment of others.

At the time of her death Marcie was involved in a civil law suit against a school bus driver who sexually abused her when she was 11 years old. Prior to her death, it had been expected that the case would be won but since Marcie could no longer testify, it was going to be next to impossible to win. Marcie’s attorney met with her family to determine if the suit should be continued. He advised the family that Marcie had confided in him her intention to donate her entire award to help sexually and physically abused children if she won the case. Once this was known the family had no doubt that the suit had to continue.

The attorney’s strong commitment to Marcie prompted him to proceed with the case, and against all odds it was won. Marcie’s estate was awarded a monetary settlement. With her attorney’s guidance and continued support, the family established a foundation as a tribute to Marcie’s life, which would continue her legacy to help children.

To learn more about The Marcie Mazzola Foundation, please visit: http://www.marciemazzolafoundation.org

Marcie Mazzola Foundation


158 Burr Road, Commack, NY 11725


phone: 631-858-1855   •   fax: 631-462-8544


email: info@marciemazzolafoundation.org

About the author

Kristen Hope Mazzola is an up and coming independent author from sunny South Florida.  Crashing Back Down was her debut into the literary world. Kristen is currently working on the rest of her Crashing Series, which will include a sequel, Falling Back Together, and a prequel, Walking Away.  She even has a few more tricks up her sleeve, with more characters to introduce and more twists to unravel, so keep your eye on this talented young author!

When Kristen is not driving a pen into paper, she enjoys reading all different genres and fishing.  “There is just something so magical about water and the calm it brings to my life,” says Kristen.  Even though writing is not her only career she is pursuing, Kristen hopes to one day be a full time writer. Having a day job and a busy life, makes finding time for writing difficult, but anything worthwhile in life is difficult. Loving life, writing, and fishing basically make up her world.

Stalker Sites

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristenHope

http://khmazzola.wordpress.com

https://goodreads.com/author/show/7179522.Kristen_Hope_Mazzola

https://twitter.com/khmazz

Email: authorkristenmazzola@gmail.com