With every book I write, I seem to wind up thanking the same people, and yet my debt to them continues to grow. Should I give up and just start selling these spots? Watch this space. In the meanwhile, I am, as ever, grateful foremost to my inimitably generous and wonderful editor, Charles Spicer, and to my agent, Elisabeth Weed, whose calm, intelligent, and affectionate guidance is what every writer deserves but too few have. I know how fortunate I am.
Neither works alone: at Minotaur, Andy Martin leads a spectacular team, including Sarah Melnyk, Hector DeJean, Sarah Grill, Paul Hochman, and David Rotstein, while Elisabeth has in her corner at The Book Group the kind and capable Hallie Schaeffer.
I want to give special thanks to Martin Quinn, whose ingenuity and enthusiasm and great cheer have turned him from an acquaintance into a valued friend and an invaluable colleague as we’ve worked more closely together.
In my personal life, I’m again overrun with people I should name. But let me just use this occasion to point out some of the amazing people I’ve met during my time in Chicago’s literary community: Rebecca Makkai, Kim Brooks, Sasha Hemon and Teri Boyd, Rebecca George, Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Day, and of course everyone who was at Ragdale, along with the people who run it. Each of you is extremely dear to me.
Readers, you’ve given me a career. I don’t think I deserve it, and I don’t know how I ended up here. But you are in my heart as I write these books, truly. Plus, without talking to you on Facebook I might go crazy.
Finally, to my family, near and far: I love you so much.