Carol Bennett, Dean Burkhardt, Franci Crane, Jill Jewett, Elena Marks, Gail Gross, Ellen Susman, and Michael Zilkha have read and helped me with countless drafts of many manuscripts, and I will always be grateful. My book group, composed of Sarah Cortez, Bettie Carrell, and Rachel Weissenstein, has been a constant source of encouragement and wisdom. I appreciate the friendship and professional editing of Amy Storrow, Emily Hanlon, Gail Storey, and Nora Shire. But for the patience of my husband, Bill White, I would not have stuck with writing. Thanks to my mother, Patsi Ferguson, for reading a yet unpublished novel. Thanks to Gar Bering for technical help.
Chas Jhin, Andy Marks, Craig Smyser, and Stephen, Elena, and Will White were my most faithful young readers. Thanks to Colton Bay, Winston Chang, Brent Doctor, Ashley Helm, Drew Jackson, Meghan Lewis, Salima and Shamsa Mangalji, John and Patrick Scully, Georgiana and Claire Smyser, Colleen Thurman, Sam Wilburn, and Daniel Zilkha, who also read my book and gave me valuable feedback. Finally—and most important—thanks to Marni Hettena and her fourth-grade class—Alex Bennett, Sam Bursten, Ryan Cooper, Dominique Dawley, Thomas Deskin, Julia Eads, Madison Feanny, Will Flanders, Graham Gaylor, Marion Hayes, Evan Henke, Michael Kumpas, Taylor Mattingly, Bruce Veyna, Stephen White, Elizabeth Wright, and Jeffrey Zuspan. You believed in me as a writer before I believed in myself.
After nine years of hard work, Ann Tobias, my agent, was an unexpected and wonderful gift to me. Sally Doherty, my editor, vastly improved the book with her many thoughtful comments. It takes a village to publish a first book, and I thank mine.