I cannot conceive of what rough road Party Girl and I might have traveled had we not been lucky enough to be discovered by the tenacious and devoted Pilar Queen—who guided me through every step of this process.
Thank you as well to Maureen O’Neal and Jenny Brown at HarperCollins for always being so respectful and encouraging, and to Suzanne Wickham, Chase Bodine, Gregg Sullivan, and Megan Beatie for doing all they could to get the Party Girl word out.
Without a doubt this book would not have existed had Melanie Bromley not made a deal with me that we’d send each other one thousand words of the novels we planned to write every Sunday. Thank you as well to Brendan Smith, who helped motivate me when Mel’s career interfered with our plans. I look forward to buying both of your novels one day soon.
Thank you to Andrew Brin, Mike DeLuca, Alec Shankman, and Vanessa Grigoriadis for reading the manuscript early on, not to mention being the kind of friends who offered to do so—and did it with the kind of expedient enthusiasm that a sensitive perfectionist like myself demands—without having to be asked.
Bottom-of-my-heart thanks as well to Melissa de la Cruz, who consistently told me, “Don’t worry—it will all happen” with the calm confidence that must come from cranking out five-plus books a year, and to Rachel Resnick—both of whom passed along the wisdom, advice, and encouragement of seasoned pros; I only hope to be as gracious with other aspirants as they were with me.
For general support, encouragement, friendship, and love, my thanks as well to Nicole Balin, Becket Cook, John Griffiths, Phil and Sierra Mittleman, Jeannie Sloan, and Alexis Tellis. For keeping the technological aspects of my life running smoothly, thanks to Joel and Ivy-Anne Sigerson and Eddie de Angelini (the most talented non-designing website designer I’m lucky enough to somehow employ).
For giving me or leading me to the kind of breaks that have allowed me to write for a living over the past decade, thank you to Laura Gilbert, Steve Reddicliffe, Todd Gold, Sean Smith, Jen Furmaniak, Chris Napalitano, Michael Soloman, Amy Sohn, Stacy Morrison, Vicki Larson, Lew Harris, and Andrew Essex.
For financially aiding this struggling writer during the times that were lean despite the help of those listed above, I have gratitude for Steven and Ned David.
For keeping me sane and healthy throughout this process, Gordon Kernes (neck), Alex Katehakis (mind), Colin Kim, Allan Avendano, and Grace at Olympic Day Spa (body), Thom Knolles (breathing), and the pool at the Standard Hotel.
For love, guidance, and help trudging the road at just those moments I needed it, thank you to Bill W., Sammy H., Carrie W., Candace B., Amber V., Rachel L., Susannah B., Justin K., Roger K., Peter M., Leslie K., Richard R., and the 10 A.M. Bliss 1 and 2 crew (Dufflyn L., Michael D. B., Philip M., Alex D., Denny P., Mark D., Christian S., Rob G., Leslie S., and everyone else both at the table and not).
And finally I’d like to thank my mom, Gail, who not only dedicated her first book to me but also made me want to write (I still remember the awe I felt as a child watching her fingers flit over the typewriter keys without her having to glance down) and hasn’t yet disowned me—even though it’s meant having to put concerned Momness aside in order to swallow Playboy layouts, reading graphic sex and drug scenes, and telling people that her daughter writes for “non-girlie” magazines, too.
Also, I never would have made it through even the first draft had it not been for the fact that I promised myself I could eat Trader Joe’s Sweet, Savory & Tart Trek Mix—the best, and most addictive food on the planet—as I wrote. Thankfully—or I’d weigh double what I do now—I’m now in recovery from that addiction, too.