Thank you to sweet-as-pie Gracie from the Flower Shoppe in Strongsville for serving as the loose inspiration behind The Colonel—lily pollen splotches and all! And thanks to Mike Dunn for inviting me to your Fourth of July party at the lake all those years ago! It was a blast drawing on my memories of the location for the setting of the lakeside party in Dream On （if not the company, because you and your friends are straight-up awesome and pure fun—no Roger Szymanskis in sight）。
To Wellesley College alums near and far: I feel lucky beyond measure to be part of such an empowering community. Thanks to you, I believe I can do.
Gratitude to the city of Cleveland, and all the folks who are working so hard to uplift and strengthen communities throughout Northeast Ohio. The grit, heart, and tenacity of this city, and the people who call it home, have inspired me deeply. I couldn’t imagine setting Dream On, and Cass’s journey, anywhere else.
Finally, to my family—my bedrock of support—I couldn’t have written this book without you!
Thanks to my mom, Sandy, for always believing in me and encouraging me to step outside my comfort zone and simply go for it. I feel fortunate to have been raised by such a strong, hardworking single mom （and badass boss bitch to boot!）。 Thank you for being my number one cheerleader on this roller-coaster journey!
To the best in-laws ever and my resident Cleveland experts: I can always count on you for an encouraging word and genuine insights on life. Thanks for making me feel like I’m the daughter you never had.
To my stepdad, Don: thanks for your unwavering love and support. Your presence is like a warm blanket in a chaotic world. I appreciate you.
Thank you, Grandma, for your rock-steady support and lifelong love. We’re kindred spirits, you and I, and had we been born at the same time, I’m convinced we would have been like Brie and Cass, getting up to countless shenanigans together. I love you.
To my son, Cooper, aka the light of my life and the funniest little dude I know: being your mom is the greatest of adventures, and you make me smile every single day. Thank you for filling my heart and motivating me to be my best self.
To my husband, Jimmy: how lucky am I to have you as a partner? Thank you for doing the laundry… and the dishes… and the grocery shopping… and bedtime routines, cleaning, organizing, dog walking, and basically tackling more than your fair share of household chores when the rubber hit the road with this manuscript. Dream On never would have happened if it weren’t for you stepping up to the plate and offering your unconditional support. I love you.
Thank you to the booksellers, reviewers, bloggers, Bookstagrammers, BookTokers, librarians, educators, and everyone who shares their love of reading and encourages people to pick up a book. I’m eternally grateful for what you do!
And finally, to all of the readers out there who gave Dream On a chance: thank you, thank you, thank you! You mean the world to me, truly. I feel privileged to have the chance to share this story with you, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading!