Thank you to my dear friends and partners—Ben Camardi and Jen Klonsky. It’s a privilege to be part of your intelligence, humor, and insight. Thanks as well, to Jenn Zatorski, Leah Hays, Sam Schutz, and all the fine folks at Simon & Schuster—you guys are the best. Gratitude also to Kirsty Skidmore and Amanda Punter and U.K. Scholastic.
Doug Longman, music teacher extraordinaire—thanks for essential information, and for your dedication to teaching. And to all those organizations that assist writers and, more importantly, get the word out about books, my appreciation and admiration. Thank you Artist Trust; National Book Foundation; PNBA, with special thanks to Rene Kirkpatrick; California Young Reader Medal Program; PSLA; International Reading Association; YALSA, and to libraries everywhere, particularly King County Library System. Librarians are awesome, and KCLS is home to my favorites.
Anne Greenberg; the beautiful and singular Muriel Diamond; “Magic” friends; Rick Young; and the Flo Villa houseboat gang—life is happier with you in it. Love and endless thanks to my clan in Virginia, California, Chicago. And to my new family in Denver, Seattle, Phoenix, L.A., and Mineral Point—oh, lucky girl am I.
Finally, deep and forever love and gratitude to Evie Caletti, Paul and Jan Caletti, Sue Rath and family And to my Sam and Nick, who make every day a present.