Bittersweet (41 page)

Amy Hains, Rachel Miller, Meredith Sale, and Lisa Kenney, I straight up love you girls. I can always count on you to shine the light in my face when I’ve spent too long in the deep, dark writing cave, and for that, I’m eternally lucky.

Speaking of the writing cave, it may be
crazy
dark, but it’s no longer lonely. To my wonderfully talented friends from the 2009 Debutantes, the Contemps, and Lighthouse Writers Workshop, you inspire and amaze me (and prevent me from drinking all this Bombay Sapphire by myself…. Cheers!).

My family, my friends, and my family friends (especially Birthday Group), your love, support, and inadvertently inspired character ideas keep me in the storytelling business, in more ways than one. ;-) Group hug!

Finally, I’m forever indebted to you, my fabulous YA readers, bloggers, librarians, booksellers, and teachers (an especially ginormous hug to Paul W. Hankins, a true friend and inspiration to students and writers alike). For as long as you keep reading and sharing these stories, I’ll keep writing them. Promise. <3