Nobody in Particular(116)

So, thank you to the people who believed in this book when I was a querying author just out of my teen years, who had no idea if I would ever see myself in a bookstore. To Alexa Donne, for reaching out and asking to read my manuscript after spotting it in a competition. To Claire Donnelly, for being one of the first people ever to fall in love with a full-length novel I wrote, and for giving me confidence. To Moe Ferrara, for taking a chance on this book back when the publishing industry was significantly, significantly straighter than it is now, and for taking it through countless edit rounds. Thank you to my early critique partners and beta readers, Alexa, Lee, Cale, and Ashley.

Thank you to Jacob and Anna, both of whom separately read this manuscript (or another version of it, anyway) several years ago, and both of whom gave it such a warm reception that it reignited my excitement for the story and motivated me to revisit it. It’s a vulnerable thing to share old, rejected work with people, and you both handled it with care. I doubt this book would exist outside of my hard drive if you hadn’t. Thank you as well to Tess Sharpe, for reviewing an excerpt of this on short notice as I queried it all over again a decade after my first attempt.

An enormous thank-you to my agent, Jess Mileo, for believing in my new vision for this story and for all your support and phone calls—especially for all the time difference considerations!

Thank you to Eileen Rothschild for your fantastic editorial eye and the support and time you continue to give me. Thank you as well to Char Dreyer, for being amazingly organized and helpful when I am the absolute opposite most of the time!

Thank you to the team at Wednesday Books for bringing this book to life. Special thanks to Rivka Holler, Brant Janeway, Kelly South, Kerri Resnick, Sara Goodman, Melanie Sanders, Merilee Croft, Gail Friedman, Jen Edwards, Katy Robitzski, and NaNá Stoelzle!

Thank you to Jenifer Prince for creating the cover of my dreams. I couldn’t have hoped for something more beautiful!

Thank you to my more recent early readers, especially including my wonderful cousin, Amaya, for providing a very important teen perspective now that I’m much further from my teen years than I was during draft one!

To my day-in, day-out friends and family, Becky, Claire, Cale, Jacob, Diana, Stella, Jono, Paige, Ryan, Steph, Chelsea, Danielle, Sarah, Mum, Dad, and Cameron: thank you for being the best people. I love all of you.