Like Rooney, I understand the desire to want to do things on my own. But the reality is, while writing can be a mostly solitary act, publishing a book is far from it. Launching books is like a mission in its own way, and every mission has its smart, talented, and hardworking team. On my own pathway to publication and beyond, I have been so lucky and grateful to work with incredible people, meet generous readers and book communities and book clubs, and learn from people in industries other than my own. So while I’m by myself writing the words on the page, I am not alone.
I am grateful to the artists and scientists who push the boundaries of our imaginations and realities every day. In addition to reading science and space books in my research for this book, as well as listening to podcasts and watching videos, I also had the pleasure of talking to people who actually know what they’re doing when it comes to our planet and the worlds beyond. Thank you to Ralph Basilio and Eleanor Basilio for answering my endless questions, both big and small. Any mistakes are my own.
I’ll never forget Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates installation in New York City’s Central Park in 2005. Set against the brown and gray winter landscape, those 7,503 bright orange “gates” clearly impacted me more than I could’ve anticipated back then. In 2021, when I was drafting this book, the Arc de Triomphe was wrapped in silvery blue fabric and 3,000 meters of red rope, per the designs of the late Christo and Jeanne-Claude. This felt very fate-itious and full circle. I’m appreciative of the art and artists whose work leaves long-lasting impacts on us.
Thank you to my agent, Ann Leslie Tuttle, for your always-gentle advice and direction. It has been wonderful getting to know you more over the years over iced matcha—rain or shine! To my film agent, Mary Pender, and your team at UTA, thank you for your persistence and guidance. I’m so appreciative to be on this journey with you both.
Thank you to my editor, Alex Logan, for the care you give my stories and characters. I am endlessly grateful for your editorial guidance and support, and for you being open-minded when the story direction changes in slightly unexpected ways.
To Estelle Hallick, thank you for your empathy and creativity and for all you do to help share my books with readers. Sometimes this journey warrants excited screaming, and I love that you’re right there screaming with me.
Thank you to Team Forever for being part of my book mission crew—Beth de Guzman, Leah Hultenschmidt, Amy Pierpont, Dana Cuadrado, Carolina Martin, Caroline Green, Daniela Medina, Grace Fischetti, Jeff Holt, Xian Lee, Sara Schaller and the production team, the sales reps, Mary Urban and the digital sales team, Michelle Figueroa and the audiobook team, and Francesca Begos and the subrights team. It has been a joy working with you.
Again, I find myself emotional seeing a mixed-race illustrated character on a book cover. Sandra Chiu, you did it again! Thank you for creating the stunning and enchanting cover of my red string dreams. Raechel Wong, you brought Lunar Love to life with your voice in such a beautiful way. I didn’t get to formally thank you then, but I get to now, so thank you.
Readers, it has been one of the greatest joys of this journey getting to know you. Meeting you over social media and in person has been incredibly emotional and exciting. Your response to my debut novel, Lunar Love, blew me away—I’m forever grateful for your warm welcome, excitement, and generosity. Your support has meant the world. With every stardust particle of my being, thank you.
To the booksellers, librarians, Bookstagrammers, BookTokers, book bloggers, reviewers, journalists, book clubs, festival and event organizers, and podcasters, thank you for all that you do. Special thanks to Brianna Goodman, Jerrod MacFarlane, and the entire Book of the Month team. I’m also very grateful for my local independent bookstores, Parnassus Books and The Bookshop, who have created such welcoming and supportive communities and do so much to connect authors and readers. When readers are matched with stories that end up being exactly what they need, well, that’s magic. The conversations you create around books create communities, and I know from personal experience that these communities have made me feel less alone. Thank you.
To the authors who have become friends, who have blurbed, and who continue to respond to my cold emails and direct messages, it has been such a joy getting to meet many of you online and in person over the past year. Your kindness has meant so much to me.
Putting mixed-race characters front and center in stories will always be important to me. When it feels like you’re not enough, or when you have racial imposter syndrome, it can be life-changing to know that there are people in the world who are just like you or who are experiencing something similar. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to feel seen and to be represented. What an honor it is to be able to continue telling stories with mixed-race representation. I will never take it for granted.
Thank you to my parents, sister, and aunties for your support and enthusiasm on this wild journey. My path has been tangled and winding over the years, but you’ve stood by my side through all of it. And to my sweet nieces for demanding that my sister read you my books from cover to cover before bed, promise you’ll get to read them when you’re a little bit older.
To my best friend and husband, Patrick, who graciously and fearlessly reads every draft I write, thank you for your blunt honesty, your shared excitement, and for making all of our meals when I’m on tight deadlines. The algorithms of fate brought us together, but every day we choose each other.