FOR EILEEN!

Eileen pictured has been such a huge part of the Summer Ray project, like from the first week of it. When I first started the story back in 2009, my friend Jess would take me to the town of Gettysburg. I was only used to the battlefields. But, Jess thought it was necessary for the book for me to learn about the town itself.

I remember when we walked into the dress shop where Eileen was the manager at. I knew absolutely nothing about Civil War attire and, it is written about in the first book. But from day one, Eileen took me under her wing. She is also the reason for Summer Ray’s last name of Sherwood. I immortalized her. I never thought we would lose her before the pilot was released. But unfortunately we have. The world has and it is a huge loss, especially to her family and to those who knew how kind and how special she was. I went from the above picture to knowing nothing, to learning how to hold my head up, where to “cast my eyes” and how to walk like a lady. The picture below is the book cover to the first book that she is part of. It’s the dress she fitted me for in the above picture!

Eileen, my words are few right now because I am simply numb. I thought you would live forever and at least around Gettysburg, that isn’t a tall order. We will keep your memory alive. I love you, Juliana