Heaven was shining down on me the day I met my literary agent, Stephanie Kip Rostan. Stephanie brought this book to life. Brilliant, kind, with a formidable sense of humor, she is a true partner and friend. Thank you to Stephanie’s colleagues at Levine Greenberg Rostan, especially Jim Levine and Daniel Greenberg. And huge thanks to Courtney Paganelli as well.
I am grateful to my dazzling editor, Catherine Richards, for choosing to work with me. With clear eyes and terrific skill, she made this novel infinitely better. Our collaboration continues to be a blessing and a joy. And thank you also to Nettie Finn, for all of her support.
Thank you to Andrew Martin and Kelley Ragland, for believing in this book. To the remarkable Sarah Melnyk, for her excellent ideas and creativity. To Danielle Prielipp, for her enthusiasm. To Paul Hochman. To Chrisinda Lynch, as well as Kaitlin Severini and Justine Gardner. To David Rotstein, for designing a beautiful cover. Thank you to the entire phenomenal team at Minotaur Books and St. Martin’s Publishing Group and their fabulous publisher, Jennifer Enderlin, who has been a great champion of this book. I am fortunate to be in their midst.
For her commitment to this book and her excellent notes, I am grateful to Jo Dickinson, my UK editor, and her talented colleagues at Hodder & Stoughton.
I cannot begin to express my gratitude to my magnificent friend Faith Salie. She is the angel who introduced me to Stephanie Kip Rostan.
Because I have the opportunity here and now, thank you, thank you, thank you to the magical Michelle Kroes, who opened doors to a television series, and all of her colleagues at CAA, especially Michelle Weiner and Arian Akbar. Thank you to Sam Esmail, Sarah Matte, Chad Hamilton, Andy Campagna, and Madison Cline for seeing the potential in this story.
I’m deeply indebted to my teacher and friend Helen Schulman for her direction and instruction and for telling me she believed this was a book. Thank you to another teacher and friend, Luis Jaramillo, for his excellent ideas and guidance. To John Freeman and Tiphanie Yanique, both of whom responded with enthusiasm to the first twenty pages.
To three amazing ladies: Dina Lee, KrisAnne Madaus, and Nicole Starczak—all of whom gave me constructive notes, again and again and again.
Thank you to the genius Anika Streitfeld, who taught me more than I can say and whose illuminating notes brought countless moments from my mind to the page.
To Michael Carlisle, for his mentorship and friendship.
I am grateful to my entire family—to all the Carters around the country, as well as the Holbrooks, Heaths, Wiesenthals, Cohens, Schonwalds, Carter-Weidenfelds, and Wellers.
To Ginna Carter, who is always my ally; to Jon Carter, Pamela Carter, Whendy Carter, Ellen Carter, Ali Marsh, Fred Weller, Eve Holbrook, and Claus Sørenson. To Hal Holbrook, who is rooting for me. To Joyce Cohen, a loyal friend. To Arthur Carter and Linda Carter, for their unending love and support.
And to my mother, Dixie Carter, who is with me in spirit.
I am ever so fortunate to have married into the Kempf family—Nancy and Don Kempf, Kathy and Donald Kempf, and Charlie Kempf, who is no longer with us—but especially Nancy Kempf, who treats me like her own daughter and hopes for my success, like she would for her own.
Thank you to Manfred Flynn Kuhnert for many years of education in art and images, story and structure. And for an invaluable friendship.
To Cara Natterson and Sherry Ross for guidance on medical questions. And to Karen Snyder, Larry Golfer, and William Lewis for guidance on photography questions. For helping me in big ways and small ways, directly and indirectly, thank you to Ilsa Brink, Fauzia Burke, Jake Carter, Juan Castillo, Ming Chen, Wah Chen, Ali Clark, Aleksandra Crapanzano, Hayden Goldblatt, Lydia Kris, Dylan Landis, Darya Mastronardi, Lisa Choi Owens, Steve Owens, Mo Rocca, Beowulf Sheehan, Drew Vinton, and Jaime Wolf.
The biggest thank-you of all goes to my husband and best friend, Steve Kempf, who has brought me so much happiness. Without him, I wouldn’t have this book. Finally, I am grateful to Eleanor and Henry—the brightest joys of my life. You are everything.