Acknowledgements

My forever thank you to Bella and Bandit, who have kept me googling a million “is this food safe for dogs?” questions in the quest to always serve them the best meal ever. Bandit, I know, you’d eat absolutely anything I set in front of you, but thank you for making me feel like a gourmet chef anyway.

Zachary, I’m in awe of the many ways in which you’ve discovered yourself over the past year, and I’m so thankful for the person you’re growing into. I can’t wait to see who you become next.

Skye Kilaen, thank you for listening to me share about this book, vent about this book, come to you with questions and ideas and thoughts and tangents and other projects as you helped to keep me on task. I’m thankful for the many ways you’ve gone from “person I see around the internet” to dear friend, and I’m really glad to know you.

A, you are such a distraction and I love you for it. I’d never get anything done without you, but with the millions of words we’ve shared, sometimes I wonder how I get it done with you. Thanks for sticking with me through the years. You keep me in one piece.

Elizabeth, Rae, and everyone at NineStar Press, thanks for believing in the story this book can be.

And to the community who got me writing, thanks for encouraging me to aim high. I’m still sorry-not-sorry for ruining peanut butter for you.