Acknowledgments

I’ve wanted to be a published author ever since I was six years old, and I’ve been lucky to have so many people support me on this journey.

Thank you to my unparalleled agent, Beth Miller, for being a true partner in this business.

My heartfelt thanks to Liz Pelletier, my editor and publisher, and one of the most brilliant women I’ve ever met, for believing in this book. Thank you to the entire team at Entangled, and in particular, Heather Riccio, Meredith Johnson, and Stacy Abrams for your hard work. Special thanks, as well, to Debbie Suzuki, Melissa Montovani, Jessica Turner, and Ellie McMahon. You are all amazing. Thanks to L.J. Anderson for the gorgeous cover, and thank you to Rebecca Mancini for the foreign-rights magic. Thank you, as well, to my film agent, Lucy Stille.

The following writers have critiqued for me, but more importantly, have given me their friendship. Thank you to Kimberly MacCarron and Vanessa Barneveld, for always being here; Meg Kassel and Stephanie Winklehake, for sharing your passions and dreams; Denny Bryce and Holly Bodger, for never being more than a text message away; Danielle Meitiv, for your scientific expertise; Stephanie Buchanan, for reading countless drafts; and Kerri Carpenter, for the accountability. Thank you to Romily Bernard, Natalie Richards, Cecily White, Michelle Monkou, Masha Levinson, and Darcy Woods. You are not just writing friends; you are the best friends a girl could have.

Thank you to the late Karen Johnston. Karen, you were one of the earliest cheerleaders for this book, and your belief in me has left a footprint in my heart.

I am so grateful to my writing communities for giving me a home: the Waterworld Mermaids, Honestly YA, the Writing Experiment, the Firebirds, the DoomsDaisies, the Dreamweavers, the Dauntless, and the Washington Romance Writers.

Thank you to my favorite beta reader, Kaitlin Khorashadi.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to have teachers who have encouraged me to pursue my writing, in particular Jeanie Astbury, Professor Phil Fisher, and Professor Kenji Yoshino. I am grateful to Frankie Jones Danly, for her early support and guidance. Thank you to Kim Brayton, for writing my first book with me.

Thank you to my dearest friends who have believed in me for two decades: Anita, Sheila, Aziel, Kai, J.D., Francis, Josh, Nick, Steph, Peter, Gaby, Alex, Larry, Nicole, Julia, and Monique. Thanks to my newer friends, who are just as dear -- Jeanne Johnston, for always listening, and the talented Elizabeth Chomas, for my author photos.

I am exceedingly blessed to have such a loving family. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to my dad, Naronk, and the rest of the Hompluems: Uraiwan, Pan, Dana, and Lana. Thank you to the Dunns: Donald, Catherine, Chantal, Franck, Quentin, and Natasha. Thank you, P. Noi, and thank you, Karen. Thank you, as well, to A-ma and my Thai family, the Techavachara clan. Your support means everything to me.

Thank you to Aksara, Atikan, and Adisai. For you, I would fight the future and Fate itself.

And finally, thank you to Antoine. You believed in me even when I didn’t. Even if the future told you otherwise, you would still believe in me.