I’ve been writing the acknowledgements page for my first book in my head for so long now that I’m terrified of leaving someone out in the real thing. Dear Teen Me is a project that begins and ends as a community project. We couldn’t have done this on our own.
First I want to thank Miranda Kenneally, without whom this whole thing would have been just a pile of disorganized emails and a neon Tumblr. Seriously. This lady is so talented and I’m so privileged to work with her.
And then I want to thank every single author who said “yes” when I sent that first email. Without your willingness to share your stories on the Real Live Internets, we would have had a very bright but also very empty Tumblr feed.
Of course, I have to also thank the authors I was with at Spider House café in Austin when I sent out that initial email: P.J. Hoover, Jessica Lee Anderson, and K.A. Holt. Thank you so much for encouraging me (and convincing me that Dear Teen Me wasn’t a crazy idea in the first place). You’ve got my back! Thanks also to all of the other writers at #THEPLACE who have supported me throughout this project: Madeline Smoot, Stephanie Pellegrin, Mari Mancusi, Cory Putman Oakes, Jennifer Ziegler, and Bethany Hegedus. You’re amazing.
Thanks to Hallie Warshaw, who found me in the exhibit hall at ALA and thought our blog sounded like it would be a great book. The rest of Team Zest, too! Not to mention Sara Megibow, who has guided us so thoughtfully throughout this process. Sara, you’re a gem!
And where would I be without my home team? Nikhil, my heart, my number one support—thank you for staying up late with me, for bringing home junk food, for tolerating the paperback takeover of our home. Thank you for listening to me read aloud, for keeping the lights on, and for holding my hand. Misha and Tim, you’re the best friends a girl could ask for. And Ali and Megan, too! Thank you all for being as excited about this book as I am, and for pretending to be interested even when I talk about the boring parts of publishing. Emma, Sarah, Amber, my online critique partners—your support means the world to me, no matter where in the world you are!
Last but not least, my family. I wouldn’t be doing what I love today without the love and encouragement I was given as a child, as a teen, and as a young woman. I’m lucky to have had family who nourished my wild dream of becoming an author. Mom, Dad, Joe, Allie, Nini, Papa, and Grammy—I can’t wait to share this book with you.
—E. Kristin Anderson
First, thank you to E. Kristin Anderson (Emily) for all her hard work on Dear Teen Me. The Dear Teen Me project was her vision and I am grateful for her creativity, energy, and great attitude.
Also, Dear Teen Me wouldn’t exist without the incredible authors who have contributed to the blog and anthology—thank you for sharing your stories with teens everywhere. I am also most grateful to the fans who read the Dear Teen Me blog on a daily basis.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my agent, Sara Megibow, and everyone at Nelson Literary Agency, for everything they do for me. Sara—you rock! I also need to thank all the awesome people at Zest—Hallie Warshaw, Dan Harmon, Tanya Napier, and Pam McElroy—thank you so much for your excitement, encouragement, and dedication to the project. Thanks to Holly Longstreth and Zach Dresher for keeping us organized. Last but not least: The biggest thank you goes to my husband, Don, who not only supports me in everything I do, but helped us to manage the website along with all the files and photos for the book. It was a huge undertaking he did not need to take on, but he did, and I am most appreciative. I love you, Don.
—Miranda Kenneally