Hero Complex (24 page)

To the Lee family in Berkeley: Desiree, Joon, Jolly, and Kat, thank you for hosting my “research” trips and being my Berkeley home away from home. Cheeseboard forever!

Many thanks to my family for your never-ending enthusiasm and support of this whole writing endeavor. My mom might be the best mom-publicist in Santa Barbara; thank you for talking to everyone and anyone that might listen about my books.

To the Dovev family, the Cohen-Martins, Jim Campolongo, Alex McNally, Heather Mitchell and Nate, Angelo Surmelis, Ed Baran, Camillia Monet, Christie Havey-Smith, Billie Speer, Octavia Spencer, Claire Naber and Amin Matalqa, Jared and Carrye Glazar, Ava Jamshidi, Brandy Rivers, and Sean Barclay for being my Los Angeles cheer section. Hanging out with you all is the best reward after a long day of writing.

Joel, thank you for enduring the mountains of Post-it notes, and the many days, weeks—okay, months, I spent glued to my desk, writing and talking to myself. Writing isn’t always pretty, but I’m so grateful that you love this writer. I love you.