There’s a question we ask each week on Friends & Fiction: “What were the values around reading and writing in your childhood home, and how did that shape you into the writer you became?” So, as always, Mom （Carol Harmel）， thanks for opening my world to books from a very early age and for letting me surround myself with words. Thank you, too, for all the times you patiently read my childhood scribbles or attentively watched the “plays” I wrote for my siblings to star in. And speaking of siblings, thanks to Karen and Dave （stars of those early, ridiculous plays!） and your families, and to Dad （Rick Harmel） and Janine, who are always so encouraging and enthusiastic about my books. Thanks to Wanda （who stepped up in a big way to help me out this year during some of my craziest weeks!）， Mark, and all the Troubas, Lietzes, and Riverses （the best in-laws anyone could possibly ask for） and to all the Sullivans （a special shout-out to Aunt Donna Foley, who made reading cool when I was a kid!） and Harmels （especially Courtney Harmel, who has given me a New York home-away-from-home for more than two decades）。 I truly hit the family jackpot with all of you.
The biggest thanks this year, though, goes to my husband, Jason, and my son, Noah. We kept Noah out of school because of the pandemic for most of 2020–21. I taught him at home, since there was no virtual pre-K option at his school, and that changed life enormously for all of us. Normally I work during Noah’s school hours, but since there no longer were any, and I was now working with him on a pre-K curriculum for at least two hours a day, our whole schedule changed. Jason, you stepped up to give me early mornings and weekends to write, and Noah, you were such a trouper during all the times I had to miss bedtime for online events, or had to take calls or Zoom meetings during our days together. I couldn’t have done any of this without the understanding and love of the two of you guys this year. Thanks for being the best husband and son I could possibly ask for. I love you both so deeply. And, Noah, I probably owe you lots of LEGOs.
Finally, to all the readers: Thank you so much for all your support. One of the great privileges of Friends & Fiction over the past year, as well as so many of the virtual events I did in 2020–21, was finally getting to meet and interact with so many of you. Please know how much you all mean to me. Writing is, by nature, rather solitary, but you remind me every single day of the potential power and reach of words. Thank you for picking up this book, sticking with me, and for being the kind of people who find worlds within the pages, and who open your minds and hearts to stories. I hope to meet more of you this year at virtual chats and maybe even at in-person events. And please do drop by Friends & Fiction （www.Facebook.com/groups/FriendsandFiction）， my website （www.KristinHarmel.com）， or my Facebook page （www.Facebook.com/KristinHarmelAuthor） to say hi; it’s always such a pleasure to connect. Thanks so much for reading The Forest of Vanishing Stars, and please stay safe and well.