I must first thank Meg Wolitzer. A more brilliant, funny, and gracious person does not exist. She has taught me so much, and I could not have written this book without her.
Kate Medina is an extraordinary editor and friend. Her vision for this novel far outstripped my own, and her wisdom pushed me to think about the novel in new ways. I will always be awed by and grateful for her passion and insights.
Thanks to Suzanne Gluck, the most perfect agent, whose belief in my work has been a buoy.
Endless gratitude to the gifted team at Random House, including Avideh Bashirrad, Maria Braeckel, Carrie Neill, Barbara Fillon, Madison Dettlinger, and Noa Shapiro. I am lucky to work with each of you.
The production team did a superb job and I am grateful for their expertise: Benjamin Dreyer, Maggie Hart, Evan Camfield, Rebecca Berlant, and Dana Blanchette.
My amazing friends offered me their encouragement, counsel, and couches, including Nina Ridhibhinyo, C. Lee Cohen, Caroline Mailloux, Emily Ardolino, Kristofer Barr, Kristin Frontiera, Masha Westerlund, Katie Bradley, Harvey Prager, Ron Berney, Harmony Hazard, Martina Clark, Ikwo Ntekim, Nora Decter, Pamela Mendelsohn, Yaeli Bronstein, Paul Selker, Jen and Stan Dalton, Donna and Robert Trussell, and my dearest DC family—Bonnie Goldstein, James Grady, and Nathan Grady.
Special thanks to the faculty and staff of the Stony Brook MFA. The BookEnds program was invaluable, as was Mira Dougherty-Johnson’s generous feedback. Emily Smith Gilbert is the most incisive reader I know, and I cherish her friendship.
I have been nourished by many brilliant teachers, including the astute and kind Susan Scarf Merrell, Susan Minot, Keith Brown, Cornel Ban, Tony Bogues, Roger Rosenblatt, Karen Luten, Elizabeth Richards, and Jill Stein, whose early encouragement I will never forget.
I’m indebted to my colleagues and mentors at Riverhead for their guidance and generosity, particularly Sarah McGrath, Geoff Kloske, Jynne Dilling Martin, and Delia Taylor.
My deepest thanks to Susie Bedsow Horgan, my beloved neighbor and my guide; Ben Dalton, who taught me most of what I know about life and partnership; Joanna McClintick, my best friend and truest reader, whose brilliant feedback on each draft of this novel was a gift; and Isaac Fried, a wonderful human and a delight.
I’m humbled by the support of my family, including Marcos (and the Pomona Writer’s Colony), Gabe, Patience, Eliza, James Carter, Ivy, Richard, Caroline, Grover, Graylen, and Annabel. My gratitude, love, and admiration to my grandparents Helen and Edgar. To my mom, Jenny, a terrific editor: thank you for your ceaseless support of my writing, your wisdom and care, your insistence on my education, and all the salmon pasta I could eat. And to my father, James, my greatest champion, who left too soon, but always knew that I could: I love you, I miss you, goodbye.