Just a short time ago, this was not a book. It was only book-shaped. And it would have stayed as a book-shaped thing (and not a real book) if not for the help of some incredibly talented and gracious people. Time is precious, and they spent a great deal of theirs reading and advising me on how to make this messy work-in-progress into a story. I’m so grateful for each read-through, every note, every suggestion that made a lightbulb flicker on for a part of this story that was missing or dark.
First, a heartfelt thank you to the entire team at Pitch Wars, who make writing dreams come true. It’s a first stepping stone, but it’s a huge one, and I’ve met so many wonderful people through the community you’ve created. Thank you to the 2017 Pitch Wars group, which feels like home. It’s the place I come back to when I’m feeling lost (and when I’m lost in my feelings).
Thank you, Kate Karyus Quinn and Mindy McGinnis, who plucked this story from their inbox and told me everything that was wrong with it. Thank you for answering a thousand questions, and for helping me muck through the hardest parts of writing it. Your humor, insight, and countless notes have made me better at this, and I’m so grateful for the time you gave to this story.
I’m also so thankful for my incredible agent, Suzie Townsend, and the entire, overwhelmingly supportive group at New Leaf. You make it feel like joining a family. Suzie, I think there were moments you believed in this book more than I did—thank you for being the greatest advocate a writer could hope for.
Thank you to my insightful editor, Ben Rosenthal, for reading this book so many times, and still loving it. Thank you for catching all of the strings I dropped and helping me weave them back into the story. Thank you to the rest of the team at Katherine Tegen Books for the warm welcome, and for lending your many incredible talents to this book.
To the writers of The Great Noveling Adventure—you created the first writing community I felt I belonged to. Thank you for helping me shape the first 1,000 words of this story. Jenny Perinovic, my fellow Pennsylvania Senator, I have no idea where I’d be without you. Thank you for the encouragement, the writing dates, and for being my friend. I’m so grateful.
Thank you to my high school English teachers and my college sociology professors. The former taught me how to find my voice, and the latter taught me how to use it. Thank you, Pat and Jill, for everything.
Thank you, Natalie, for being my dearest friend for almost twenty years. You’ve helped me navigate so many hard decisions. I’m so glad that I found, as Anne “with an e” would say, a kindred spirit. Adiah Wren, I hope you know how much I look up to you. Whenever I start to forget, you remind me that our voices matter so much. I can’t wait to read more of what you have to say. Jacqueline, thank you for being one of my earliest readers and earliest friends, and offering endless support from day one.
To my huge, wonderful family, extended and in-law included, you are the net that catches us. What an incredible gift it is to have the security of your love. I’ve never taken it for granted. A special thank you to Aunt Molly, for the Oreos and Gilmore Girls, and to Uncle Matt, for the Nintendo. Really, this is a thank you for showing up when you did—it meant the world. Grandmom McCauley, thank you for lending me your home, and your tenacious hope, when I needed them most. And thank you, Mom, for being my North Star. I’ll always look to you for guidance. Loved you first.
Kayleigh, thank you for answering my panicked phone calls, for being the first, fiercest advocate for this story, and for reading this book start to finish more times than I did. Thank you, Katharyn, for making me laugh so hard I cry. You two are my best friends in the world, and I’m so lucky to have you in my life.
Finally, to Andrew. You treated this book (and all of my writing) like it was inevitable, and never the impractical, inconvenient dream I thought it was. Thank you for believing when I didn’t, and for chasing our little monster children around while I wrote. Thank you for being the first person I’ve turned to since we were sixteen years old, leaving Straylight Run lyrics on our AIM away messages for each other. I love waiting for the train with you.