Acknowledgments

This novel was written in solitude but whispered into existence with the help of countless friends.

My agent, Joy Harris, and my editor, Deb Futter, are fierce warrior-angels, indeed. Their wit, intellect, and love guide, inspire, and sustain me.

Stephanie Abou and Alexia Paul at the Joy Harris Literary Agency are brilliant women for whom I possess boundless gratitude.

The Problem with Murmur Lee would have never been birthed without the patience and guidance of the dedicated, talented people at Doubleday. Thank you for believing. Anne Merrow, I owe you.

I am forever grateful to my dear sister, Deidre, and her husband, Phil, for their unflagging support. You saw me through the darkest days. Thank you.

Marcie Cramer and my Wednesday afternoon posse, your grace and wisdom inform every word of this novel.

Jerome Novey, you rock.

To my wonderful colleagues in the Rollins College Department of English and to Rita Bornstein, Roger Casey, and Lorrie Kyle, thank you for so freely sharing your talents and for the many opportunities you have given me and this book. Without your words of encouragement, the novel would still be stewing on a back burner. And to my students at Rollins, you inspire me. Indeed, you helped breathe magic into these pages.

Thank you to my friends—faculty, staff, and students—in the Spalding University MFA program. In you I discovered a community of writers whose generosity and brilliance gave me the confidence to push harder, to take greater chances, to believe with renewed fervor in the process.

And to my many friends who read pages, who offered advice, who listened to my fears and frustrations and dreams, who laughed with me, who broke bread with me, who never gave up on me, my gratitude and love transcend the devout simplicity inherent in the words thank you. Mitch and Melissa Alderman, Robyn Allers, Per Astrand, Barbara Carson, Ed Cohen, Dale Copans-Astrand, Mike Croley, Philip F. Deaver, Troy Ehlers, Annie Ferran, Kaye Gibbons, Jeni Hatter, Rhonda and Bob Heins, Paul Hiers, Silas House, Matthew Jaeger, Jill Jones, David Kahn, Lezlie Laws, Sam Leininger, Robin Lippincott, Cate McGowan, Kevin Miller, Sena Jeter Naslund, Sue and Socky O’Sullivan, Twila Papay, Kelly Parisi, Diana Raab, Gail Sinclair, Dimitri Smith, Cissie Spang, George Tucker, Mike and Zilpha Underwood, Laura van den Berg, Brad Watson, and Crystal Wilkinson: You are my heart.