It’ll come as no surprise that, like Jackson, I too was a Theatre Kid growing up. And though we’re given to self-indulgence, I’ll try to be brief.
Lu Brooks and Julian Winters, thank you for reading this back when it was called Project Beautiful Rule-Breaking Moth and had no plot. It took three years, but I think I found one.
Natalie C. Parker, Tessa Gratton, and Tara Hudson, thanks for helping me find that plot. I’ll never look at a cold-cut sandwich the same way again.
Lana Wood Johnson, Ronni Davis, Mark Thurber, Julie Murphy, and Alex London, thanks for all the ears you lent when I was struggling.
Molly O’Neill, thanks for being honest with me—and patient enough to know I’d eventually figure it out. And thanks to the entire Root Lit team, for championing me and my career.
Ellen Cormier, thank you for making me kill most (but not all!) of my darlings. But seriously: Thank you for helping this book become its best self. Squish Pruitt, thanks for your keen eye and excellent suggestions. And to the entire Dial Team: I’m eternally grateful.
Afsoneh Khorram, thank you for letting me make fun of your exes, and for being the best sister I could ask for.
Thank you to all my theatre teachers—Jim, Val, Roger, Bea, Laura, Otis, Chuck, Peter—and especially Sheri Coffman, who got me through high school alive.
Thank you to the many deaf folks who generously shared their experiences and insights with me.
Thank you to my friends and my family. I love you all.
Most of all, thank you to the real star of this show: you, the reader.
PUBLISHER: Jen Klonsky
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Nancy Mercado
EDITOR: Ellen Cormier
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Squish Pruitt
COPYEDITOR: Regina Castillo
MANAGING EDITORS: Tabitha Dulla & Nicole Kiser
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Jason Henry
COVER DESIGNER: Kaitlin Yang
PUBLICITY: Kaitlin Kneafsey, Shanta Newlin, Elyse Marshall
MARKETING: Christina Colangelo, Bri Lockhart, Amber Reichert, Felicity Vallence, James Akinaka, Shannon Spann, Alex Garber, Emily Romero
SCHOOL & LIBRARY: Judith Huerta, Summer Ogata, Venessa Carson, Trevor Ingerson, Carmela Iaria
SALES TEAM: Todd Jones, Becky Green, Enid Chaban, Trevor Bundy, Debra Polansky and their teams
SUBRIGHTS TEAM: Kim Ryan, Helen Boomer
PRODUCTION TEAM: Vanessa Robles