Writing this book has been a journey that without the support from my family and friends, I would not have been able to accomplish. I want to thank my mother for her tireless highlighting of errors in early drafts, my father for always being there, and both of my grandmothers for their joy, support, and push to develop my creativity and imagination.
I want to thank my husband and my dog, Quinn, for their patience with spending walks discussing the finer points of fictional drama. A special shout out to my sister who always calls with sage advice, humor, and a page (or more) of notes when needed. To the teachers along the way that made this possible: Mrs. Reidenbach who taught me the joy of writing, Mr. Reichert who taught me how to see the hidden magic in words, and Professor Nadelson who challenged me to share my work with others.
A million thanks to my students over the last decade. They are generally my first critics and always force me to be a better writer. This book would not have been written without them, and I can’t wait in the years to come to read all of the books they write.
I also want to acknowledge the 4th grade me who believed that we would become an author. And while I have still not become a Nobel Prize winning Olympic ice skater/paleontologist, I hope I have still made her proud. And I hope you’ll follow along with me online at @emily.k.bray or online at emilykbraywrites.com