Acknowledgments

“Can you think of any examples of Manic Pixie Dream Boys?” This was the question—posed by my transformative second-semester advisor, Susan Fletcher—that birthed Riley and TropeTown during my MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. I am deeply grateful to my classmates and advisors at VCFA for showing such enthusiasm for the project: to my advisors Louise Hawes and Shelley Tanaka for your mentorship, to Kekla Magoon and Mark Karlin’s workshop for your invaluable early feedback, to my fourth-semester advisor, William Alexander, for spurring me on to great quirky heights and meaningful depths as TropeTown developed into my creative thesis, and to everyone (especially my fellow ThemePunks) who came out for my grad reading, Riley’s first public outing.

Riley matured even further to become the delightfully complex MANic Pixie he is today thanks to the salesmanship and support of Legacy super-agent Stephen Barbara and the awesome, AU-worthy insight of editor Amy Fitzgerald. Jazz hands and glitter go out to book designer Emily Harris and my beta readers: Ann Bonwill, Christina Franke, Robin Galbraith, David Hoffman, and Yamile Saied Mendez. And finally, a heartfelt aria of gratitude to my biggest Off-Page fans: my husband Michael and my family.

Riley’s journey from playing a prescribed role to embracing his authentic self and stepping up to become the hero of his own story somewhat mirrors the process I went through myself during the conception and writing of this novel. I hope it inspires you, too, to reject the labels others may bestow upon you and instead define yourself on your own terms. Always remember: you have the power to write your own life.