When Suzie called to tell me we had an offer on RQ, I told her I was driving and might crash into a tree. I did not crash, but I did accept the preempt from Kari Sutherland and HarperTeen. As my first editor, Kari held my hand on my journey into the larger publishing world, and turned a manuscript into a novel. I cannot express my unending gratitude to her, Alice Jerman, and the entire Harper team: our dauntless leader and editor-in-chief Kate Jackson; Jen Klonsky, appetizer extraordinaire and fantastic editorial director; production editors Alexandra Alexo and Melinda Weigel; copy editor Stephanie Evans, who wrangles my commas like no other; production manager Lillian Sun; design wizards Sarah Kaufman, Alison Klapthor, and Barb Fitzsimmons, along with cover artist Michael Frost, you’ve made a truly beautiful book; marketing team Christina Colangelo and Elizabeth Ward, putting RQ on the map; Emily Butler, Kara Brammer, and Madison Killen, for making me passable and comfortable on camera, not to mention in frame; the incomparable Gina Rizzo and Sandee Roston, the publicity team working around the clock to spread the world; Ashton Quinn, for sales and great support; the Epic Reads team, Margot and Aubry, who have shimmied their way into my cold heart; Elizabeth Lynch(pin), one of the hardest working people I know; and the joy that is Kristen Pettit, who bravely leads RQ and the rest of the series through its journey.
I won’t say it takes a village, because that’s overdone (but seriously, it takes a village). The rest of mine includes my entertainment team—all the troopers at Benderspink: the Jakes, JC, Daniel, the ever-wrangling David, and too many interns to thank. My lawyer Steve Younger, aka my West Coast dad. Sara Scott and Gennifer Hutchison, the warrior princesses hopefully bringing RQ to the big screen. And then there are the people I’ve never met in real life, who tweet and email and IM me through each day. Publishing and entertainment are very much alive on social media, and I’ve met so many inspiring and encouraging folks who welcomed me into the fold. Every author, blogger, writer, and fan is so valuable, and I thank you all for your words and support. Particularly Emma Theriault, my Canadian twin, reader, critic, and friend.
I’m a writer, and that means I mostly work alone, but I’m never truly that way. Thank you so much to everyone who stands by me and accepts my weirdness—Culver, Morgan and Jen especially, mindmeld Bayan, the arcane Erin, and #Angela, who never judge me (out loud). And my lifestyle staples that get me through the days—Jackson Market, the barista who never cares about my hobo clothing, Target, fall foliage, Pottery Barn, bookstores, yoga pants, tacky t-shirts, the National Parks System, the Patriots (both football and founding fathers), George R.R. Martin, and Wikipedia. I also have to thank the state of Montana, where I wrote chapter two and decided I was going all in on this book-writing thing.
I apologize for being so gushy, but I’m almost done. Once more to Morgan, my best friend and the kick in the pants I need and never want. I will continue leaving the hall light on. And again to my parents, Heather and Louis. They let me move home and focus on writing a book, which is crazy. They helped me go to an awesome but shockingly expensive university far away, which is crazy. They raised weirdo me into some semblance of a functioning human, which is crazy. And they continue to support, love, sacrifice, and take me down a peg, usually all at the same time. They got me to where I am, and enabled this book, this future, and this life to happen. Which is crazy.