ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I OWE A GREAT DEBT of gratitude to my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family for their tales and inspiration. I’m from a tribe of poets, dreamers, and storytellers, and I’m proud to help carry on the family tradition. I’m especially grateful to my mother, Patricia, and sisters, Suzanne and Monica, for encouraging my work and believing in the value of my stories.

In addition, I’d like to especially mention Camellia Angel, Elias Majlaton, and Kathy Sullivan for their expert opinions and guidance. Thanks to Bassam Frangieh for his generous expertise in Arabic. And special shout-outs to my cousins Nasser Abu-Jaber and Hamoudeh Abu-Jaber, for their exemplary cultural guidance; to my much-loved Aida Dabbas and Claudio Cimino; to my good friend Bo Haroutunian; and to the fabulous Alain McNamara and the Fulbright Commission, which is a global treasure.

I’d like to thank my wonderful writing friends, including Jake Cline, David Hayes, Ana Veciana-Suarez, Andie Viele, Aaron Curtis, Lauren Doyle Owens, and Andrea Gollin, for their invaluable support and wisdom.

I’d like to thank Joanna Sutherland, Rachel Franklin Gordillo, Whitney Otto, John Riley, Lorraine Mercer, Carey McKearnan, Ana Menendez, Kathleen Cohn, Stephanie Pacheco, and Jose Pacheco Silva, for your laughter and the grace of your friendship.

I’d like to offer special thanks to Deborah Sharp, Kerry Sanders, Debbie Stokes, and Mike Stokes, for helping us to keep our heads and hearts up and navigate the waters of these extraordinary times.

And as always, always, to the outstanding professionals and wizards who I have had the great good fortune to work with—sometimes for decades (!!) and who have become cherished friends: Alane Salierno Mason, Joy Harris, Erin Lovett, Mo Crist, Adam Reed, and Mitchell Kaplan.

Most of all, I’d like to thank Scott, Grace, and Hobie, for every single bit of it.