A book is a very special piece of magic, and this one had a lot of it along the way. Thank you to those who
Believed: First and foremost, thanks to Rob, who believed in me before I even believed in myself; to Jane, Max, and Tom, who always thought a book deal was around the corner; to my parents, for instilling a love of books and a work ethic that made anything seem possible, and to my sisters, Darci and Kim, who read this book early on, believed in it, and talked to me about it, even when life was incredibly hard. Thanks to Sarah Erickson, for being my first CP and seeing something special in my work; to Peggy Sheridan Jackson, who read the rewrite that changed everything and told me, “This is it.” Thanks to Emily Ungar and Jennifer Ray, for being my first fans, and to my Sisters of the Pen: Cindy Baldwin, Ashley Martin, and Jamie Pacton, for the strength that comes from sharing and believing in each other.
Gave: This book would not exist if it weren’t for Brenda Drake and her contest, Pitch Wars—thank you for giving me a second chance. To my mentors, Joy McCullough, Jessica Vitalis, and Rebecca Wells, thank you for giving more than was required, for taking on a book without reading it, putting me through my paces, and helping me create something beautiful. Thanks to Heather Truett, Rebekah Kritsch, Ellie Terry, Cindy Baldwin, Jamie Pacton, Heidi Stallman, Kit Rosewater, Cory Leonardo, Michael Mammay, Kat Hinkel, Julie Artz, Heather Murphy Capps, Shanna Rogers, Maria Mora and my Pitch Wars 2015 group, who have spent the last three years celebrating and commiserating together, and who helped me make a big decision; to Joanna Thatcher, Kayla McCartney, and Claudia Correa, for keeping my kids cared for and my house clean during the moments of high stress; to Isabel Davis and Kayla Rivera for your thoughts, expertise, and helping me finally understand Sofia and Marisa; and to Joan He, for helping Jane become more real and for writing her that beautiful poem. So many people gave me thoughtful critiques of my work. I’m sorry if I missed anyone.
Trusted: Thanks to Sarah Gerton, who pulled my book out of the slush and passed it along; to my agent, Elizabeth Harding, who never stopped believing, giving, and trusting through the whole process—I’m so glad I put my trust in you; to my editor, Rebecca Davis, who was able to see through the flaws to the very heart of what this book could be–I think you are full of a very special kind of magic. Thanks to the readers, for trusting me with your heart. Finally, and above all, thanks to God, for trusting me with this passion and inspiration and leading me here.