I’m grateful for …
Randy Harrison, whose talk about Lincoln’s letters to Speed changed my life.
M. T. Anderson, for the editorial guidance, and the Highlights Foundation, for the space, to do revision number eight—the one that took this story to a whole new level!
Godeane Eagle, who helped me find (and stop losing) my voice.
My writer/Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators friends, who encouraged me, gave me feedback, and shared the journey so far: Rita Crayon Huang, Claudia Harrington, Maya Creedman Ho, Sara Wilson Etienne, Karol Silverstein, Ruta Sepetys, Jane Yolen, Ellen Hopkins, Bruce Coville, Laurent Linn, Emma Dryden, Esther Herschenhorn, Lin Oliver, Stephen Mooser, Sara Rutenberg, Alice Pope, Martha Brockenbrough, Paula Yoo, Lori Snyder, everyone in the SCBWI main office, and all the regional team members and board members and team bloggers who are my tribe … and so many more, I’d need a whole other book to shout out to you all!
Yapha Mason, for the friendship, encouragement, and amazing blurb.
Elizabeth Abarbanel, Ellen Wittlinger, Brent Hartinger, Alex Sanchez, and Cindy Maloney, for the early reads and blurbs.
Librarian Mary McCoy and the entire reference librarian team at the Los Angeles Public Library.
Diana Gleason, reference librarian at the Oregon State Law Library.
The UCLA Young Research Library, Special Collections, team.
Jennifer Pitts and Bahar Soomekh, for the cultural-competency reads.
Sandra Martin and Martha Heredia, for the Spanish advice.
Bill at Ursula’s Costumes in Santa Monica, California, for the Civil War reenactment wardrobe education.
Angela Bole, Terry Nathan, Caitlin Walker, Francie Droll, and everyone at the Independent Book Publishers Association for the independent-publishing education and encouragement.
Greg Pincus, for being my book marketing and brainstorming friend.
Jessica and Kayla Weissbuch, for believing in this project and putting up Camp Brave Trails as a nonprofit partner so we could use this book to empower LGBTQ and Allied teens.
Margot Atwell, for the encouraging and sage Kickstarter advice.
Matthew Winner, for amplifying the Kickstarter campaign and cheering on this project.
David Pisarra, for the advice (even when I didn’t take it).
Brooke Warner, for the guidance.
Laurie Young, for the design expertise and friendship.
Karen Maneely and the BookBaby team, for helping put it all together.
WATCH THIS!, the winning designer of the 99designs cover contest, for a cover that showed this book is all about a modern teen—while still including an irreverent image of Lincoln.
Mom, who isn’t here to enjoy bragging about this.
John and Dad, who have been so supportive.
My husband, Mark, and our daughter, for loving me, which makes all things possible. Like writing and publishing this book!
And when traditional publishing wouldn’t rise to the challenge of sharing this story with the world, a whole community stepped up. In a successful Kickstarter campaign, 182 backers joined me to fund both professionally publishing this book and donating 810 copies to empower LGBTQ and Allied teens.
THANK YOU
| Kathleen Ahrens |
Jason Jenn |
| Sean Akers |
Nora Jung |
| Aino Anto |
Melissa Killian |
| Kathi Appelt |
Steve Krantz |
| Pádraig Conor Winifred Archer-Morris |
Fran & Finn Lampert |
| Li Ashfield |
Kristin Bartley Lenz |
| Jim Averbeck |
Sylvia Liu |
| Brian Bogdan |
Kimberly M. Lowe |
| The Brooks Family |
Jacqueline Lozano |
| Angela Cerrito |
Deb Lund |
| Charlie Cohen |
Cheryl Manning |
| David Jay Collins |
Joanna Marple |
| Constance Cone |
Nora Lester Murad |
| Dana Herman Covey |
Edie Pagliasotti |
| Mike Curato |
Jerry Pang |
| Zaza D |
Linda Sue Park |
| Francesca Droll |
Katherine Quimby |
| Emma D. Dryden |
Cheryl Rainfield |
| Rebecca Dudley |
Portia Reddy |
| Amber Elizabeth |
ShadowCub |
| Sarah Joy Erskine |
Erica Silverman |
| Stephen Fischman |
Karol Silverstein |
| Eric G |
Peter Strömberg |
| Cate Gallivan & Julia Lanigan |
Tracy Tai |
| Petey J. Gibson |
Laurie Ann Thompson |
| Sherry N. Gick |
Jan-Henrik Wilhelm |
| Glenn Hargett & Everett Vaughn |
Matthew C. Winner |
| Alli Harper |
Ellen Wittlinger |
| Claudia Harrington & Ken Kallmeyer |
Laurie L. Young |
| Jeffrey Holder |
|
And many thanks to the 123 others who contributed anonymously!
