I started this book fourteen years ago at the ripe old age of eleven. When I wrote those first few lines in shaky cursive, surrounded by my mountain of stuffed animals, I never could have imagined all the wonderful supporters and amazing people I would come across because of it. I could write an entire novel (or twelve) in acknowledgements alone and still not do justice to the people that have been instrumental in the development of this book and my life in general.
I will mention a few key players here, but I will have you all know that if you ever had a kind word for me, some gentle encouragement, gave a really spectacular hug, or were just an awesome human in general, you had a hand in this book. Thank you for everything. It means more than you know.
Dad, thank you for showing a bored little girl something productive to do with her time. Thank you for being just as excited about the things I wrote when I was six as you are about the things I write now. Thank you for encouraging my creative endeavors, and for pushing me to be my brightest and best self. I’m still working on that, and I think I always will be.
Ryan, my dearest love, thank you for enduring my “almost done”s and “someday”s and “oh-my-gosh-I’m-the-worst-writer-in-existence-and-I’ll-never-get-anything-done-ever”s. You have all the grace and patience of a saint. You inspire me—to be better, to be kinder, to be truer to myself. Thank you for believing in me, for loving me and all my quirks, and for always reminding me to get my writing done. My productivity and creativity reached new heights the moment I married you. I would never have gotten this far without you.
Miranda and Morgan, my sisters of choice, I’m not sure I can say anything here that hasn’t already been said. You have been through it all with me. From midnight alfredo in our hobbit holes to now, what I way we’ve come. Thank you for being you, and for being my go-to hype-women.
Moms (all of you amazing women that have chosen to claim me in some way, shape, or form), thank you for teaching me faith, patience, perseverance, and grace in the face of adversity. You modeled those traits as if you were born to them, and I hope to one day live up to your examples even in some small part.
To the people I chased throughout my life, shoving pages upon pages of fuzzy ideas and half-baked manuscripts at you, begging for feedback and validation, thank you. Thank you for tolerating me, for humoring me, and for genuinely doing your best to find something kind and encouraging to say to me. It was a rough task, but I hope it was never a thankless one. I thrived off every single note, edit, and comment. Someone was reading my work and had enough of an interest in it to help me be better. I hope I am better. It is all thanks to you.
Cassandra Caswell-Stirling, Jen Boles, and Aria Carpenter, my incredible editors, thank you for saving my manuscript when I was ready to burn it and making it more polished and beautiful than I could have ever done on my own. I can actually read it now without wanting to gouge my eyes out.
Timea Schweiger, thank you for making all of my cover design dreams come true. I find every opportunity I can to show it off.
My readers, thank you for picking this book. Thank you for picking me and allowing me to occupy some of your time. I hope it made your day brighter. I hope it was the escape you needed at the time. I hope you read it often. But even if not, thank you for giving it a chance.