Acknowledgements

Thank you to everyone at Ooligan Press, especially Alena Rivas and Kelly Zatlin for your brilliant editing, Robyn Crummer for navigating me through the publishing process, Claire Curry for keeping me on track with patience and grace, and Kelly Morrison for whipping my manuscript into perfect shape.

Thank you to Emily Chenoweth, the team at Portland’s Literary Arts, and my delightful “How to Write a Novel in Eight Weeks” classmates: Alan Brickley, Pamela Larsen, Lisa Metcalf, Jim Reinhart, Gayle Seely, Jane Shapiro, and Dennis Steinman. Emily, you are an incredible and inspiring writer and teacher, and I’m forever grateful for your advice and support.

Thank you to Gabriel Reeve for your amazing editing of my very rough first draft, and helping me fill many plot holes.

I’m grateful to my early readers: Justin Graham, Renee Sreenivasam, Elizabeth Chapin, Faye Purdum, Jessica Outlaw, Catherine Statz, E.B. Min, Pamela Connors, Chris Burd, Becky Burd, Julia Latané, Robyn Sreenivasam, Jaqueline Statz, and Libby Carruth. You are all so generous, encouraging, and your thoughtful feedback means the world to me.

Very special thanks to Devin Ellin and Steve Dana for generously sharing their stories with me, and to Pamela Connors and Shoshanna Cohen for introducing me to so many inspirational people and places in Portland.

Thank you to my parents, JoAnn and Vince, and my siblings who instilled in me a farmer’s work ethic, but always made sure we had time for books, movies and music.

And most of all, thank you to Justin Graham, my husband, my heart and my biggest advocate. This book wouldn’t exist without your love, support, creativity, and encouragement. And Hooper, I don’t care what anyone says, you’re a good dog