Thank you to all the teachers who inspired me to love books and the act of creating with words, from elementary teachers in Wandering River to the faculty of the Vermont College mfa program. Thanks, too, to my graduating class (the Zoo) for giving me a sense of belonging in a fantastic community of writers, and special kudos to Shen for her help and encouragement with Blank.
Much appreciation also to all my friends and family members over the years who listened to or read my stories, asked about my writing or told me not to give up. You know who you are. It meant a lot.
A huge thank-you to Andrew Wooldridge and everyone at Orca Book Publishers for taking Blank on, particularly Sarah Harvey for her sharp eye and astute suggestions and for simply being a dream editor.
I’m extremely grateful to my parents, Ron and Jackie St. Jean, for giving me the priceless gifts of a happy childhood and a lifetime of unconditional love and support, and to Mehdi, Elianne and Anissa for making me ridiculously happy to wake up every morning. Merci beaucoup!