We lost our best friend right around the time I got Little Perfume back for the final read. It struck me how relevant the words I’d written were to how I was suddenly feeling. Grief plays a big part of this story, and I hope I managed to convey the sentiment that while those we love might not be here in body, they’re always around. They are there as the sun sinks burnishing the sky amber. They’re the smell of ozone after rain. They’re in our dreams and there when we first wake. They are the reason we take chances. Their passing makes us brave and bold and helps us remember to live in the moment. And most of all to love, because without love there is nothing.

This book is for you, Jeff. Thanks for the love you gave to our family.