Acknowledgments

The witches were born from a sangria-filled lunch with my amazing editor, Ginjer Buchanan. We talked for hours about what my next book would be (I had lots of ideas), but when I mentioned wanting to write about the amazing friendships I had with the women in my life—friendships that were strong and beautiful and enriching—well, Ginjer’s eyes lit up and she suggested witches!

A shout-out to the women whose friendships helped to inspire the witches: Liz, Mo, Sarah, Dani, Danielle—Long live AHLA!

Thank you to my debonair agent, Howard Morhaim, who has class in spades and likes to check in and make sure I’m still alive out in Los Angeles. Thanks always to Christopher Golden and the rest of the Goldens—my East Coast family. To everyone at Ace/Roc—you guys have been so wonderful and supportive of all my endeavors . . . Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Another shout-out to the Shamers. I wrote this book under your watchful eye. You guys are the best. And to the Heroine Club (“Kick-ass female protagonists, not drugs,” as Nick’s wife says)—you guys read the pages and encouraged me to keep on going even when I wanted to pull my hair out. A special singling out to Sarah Kuhn and Jeff Chen—you guys are the best. Sarah, I must’ve sent you a thousand freaked-out texts over the course of the witches. Thank you for reading the pages a bazillion times and for talking me off the ledge more often than I care to remember. Also, love to Angela and Tim; you guys inspire me every day.

I want to thank my dad, who is hard at work on his own book, and my mom, who is also hard at work on a manuscript. I guess I come by my love of words honestly. Thanks to my aunt Beverly, who feeds me home-cooked meals when I am in the throes of writing and not taking care of myself properly. To my sister, Danielle, who inspired the character Lyse—I love you! And to Breehn, thank you.

And, finally, thanks to the mysterious Echo Park, where all the magic began.