Stuart Ross, for 20+ years of friendship, patience, and guruship, thank you. I am grateful to those who encouraged me to write, including The Ladies Guild (but especially Laura Rantin), Daphne Boxhill, Harmony Toumai, June Croken, Inti Ali, Marco Landini, Heather Conklin, Digal Haio, Swathi Sehkar, Michelle Winters, Big D, but most especially and deeply, Matthew Smith. Shout-out to The Jacademy for Wayward Women and Girls and its Madam. Leigh Nash, your gentle guidance and tough questions made me a better writer. Thanks also to Alison Strobel for her eagle eyes and Megan Fildes for, really, the perfect cover. Thank you to the Arts Councils of Toronto and Ontario, and the taxpayers who fund them. Finally, very special thanks to my first love and muse, the City of Toronto and its people.