ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writing this book was a spiritual endeavor for me. I spent countless hours praying, walking in the woods, and sorting out the stories that these characters were meant to live. Eventually, the time came to bring other readers into the fold, and by the point it is in its published state, this work will have passed through many generous hands. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to all those who’ve helped make this book into what it is today:
To my dear friend and always-first-reader, Bethany Spicher Schonberg, who, long before anyone else set eyes on this story, read it and told me that it was good. I’m deeply grateful for your literary guidance and friendship, and for all the delicious vegetables as well.
To Beth Loretto and Lauren Salinas, thank you for your willingness to read a very unpolished manuscript early on and offer feedback. I’m thankful for your time and support.
To Heather Holleman, for reading and planting the idea that the story shouldn’t end where it did. You are always such a beacon of encouragement and wisdom.
To later readers, Megan Bridgwater and Corrie Passavant, who, despite their many commitments, said yes to reading a late draft very quickly. More importantly, thank you for your longtime love and friendship.
To my agent, Amy Cloughley, who read and read and read again. You offer patience and wisdom at every turn, and I’m so grateful to have you on my team.
To Sarah Grill, editor extraordinaire, whose indefatigable efforts made this a better book, and whose high standards made me a better writer. Thank you for believing in me and for embracing this book with such vigor.
Thank you to Terry McGarry, whose incredible attention to detail helped me iron out my oversights and errors.
Thanks, too, to the rest of the team at Minotaur—Kelley Ragland, Andrew Martin, Paul Hochman, Allison Ziegler, Hector DeJean, David Rotstein, Lisa Davis, and Cathy Turiano—who welcomed this novel with such enthusiasm and warmth.
To my friend who reviewed sections on serving in the War on Terror: thank you for helping me to render that experience more accurately. Thank you, even more, for your many years of service and for the endless sacrifices you made along the way.
To my parents, who always believed in me, and who never once told me I should consider pursuing some other more reliable or useful occupation.
To my husband, Chris, for believing in this book from the get-go, but more importantly, for tolerating the fact that my being a writer means I often choose to spend time with made-up people instead of with you. Thank you for loving me and supporting what I do.
To Hudson and Holt, who inspired so many of the scenes and lines in this book. You will always be my favorite and most brilliant creations.
Soli deo gloria.