A lot’s changed since I wrote that first draft of You in 2013. （I think it’s officially clear that Penn Badgley was the right one to play Joe onscreen.） One way in which I don’t change is that I still get butterflies when I realize that my imaginary “friend” Joe exists in a real, meaningful way for so many people. Case in point: Natalia Niehaus, a Bainbridge-based fan of You Netflix who acted as my Bainbridge tour guide and was excited about Joe’s new home. I put my hands together for the people who read my books and hang out in the Cage, in the Everythingship squad, and for all those who spread the word about books—I’m looking at you, Mother Horror—because word of mouth, whether written or spoken, is a special thing, an author’s dream.
I don’t just bug my editors with late-night angsty emails about Joe. I treasure my friends and family, the ones who deal with my incessant screenshots of this page and nerves about that page and are understanding when I disappear. They make me laugh and they make me feel like everything is going to be okay, even when it’s July 8, 2020, which it is right now and… well, if you’re reading this in 2021 or 2061, I hope our world is getting better and doing better.
Love you, Mom, Alex, Beth, Jonathan, Joshua. XOXO