How to Break a Heart (38 page)

yo agradezco

I
’d first like to thank my mom, Delores Bucknam, for her constant love and encouragement, for her sense of humor, for her odd little quirks, and for her stubborn belief in me. For years ago bringing me the palm-size copy of
El Libro Semanal
, with the shirtless man and a bare-shouldered beauty on the cover, and for reminding me that you never know where you’ll find your next idea. I thought I knew everything about heartbreak until I lost you.

Warm embraces to my friends and family who helped me through her loss and the writing of this book, which went hand in hand: Michele Nesmith, The Best Friend One Could Ever Hope For. Seriously, she should run workshops. To Kylie Stewart, who never met a ’chong she didn’t like. Unless it has gluten. To Joe McGrath for reading, and reading, and reading again, and for expanding my heart in all the good ways. To Dad and Anna, Lois, Uschi, Deanna, and Andrea. Big, fat “fundue” pots of love to all of you.

Extra hearts to Ashley Rock, who is the nimble-footed walrus cheek behind many of the good-night texts. And to Casper, the little blond thing that makes sure I’m up every morning to write. All right, fine, he’s more concerned about his kibble than my writing, but the point is that he pants and paces and nudges and sneezes until I’m up.

A dole of doves to my agent, Holly Root, who deserves more thanks than I can give her here. There are mountains that should be shouted from; choirs of praise that should be sung. Oceans of gratitude that should be swum in order to fully express my appreciation for the many things she’s done and continues to do for me.

Passionate thanks to all the editorial staff I’ve worked with at Disney Hyperion, including Julie Moody, Abby Ranger, Lisa Yoskowitz, and Laura Schreiber. Julie, a bonus heart-shaped box of chocolates to you for all the hard work and insight that brought this book into its own. Admiring glances of gratitude to Stephanie Lurie for her support; Dina Sherman, who is simply awesome in all her work with libraries and educators; Emma Trithart, for her cover illustrations; and Maria Elias for her cover design.

Bouquets of fragrant flowers to authors Alison Cherry and Nancy Cavanaugh for helping me write, rinse, and repeat. And Alison, an ori-gami swan to you for sharing your secret Facebook inbox messages with me when needed. And, yes, sometimes they are needed.

Muchas gracias
to both Don Stewart and Donna Schillinger for help with my
español
. Let it be known, however, that any errors are all
mío
.

Moons and stars of thanks to the Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts in Saratoga, Wyoming, and Playa in Summer Lake, Oregon, for providing me (and many other writers and artists) with the gift of time, space, and inspiration. You are national treasures.

Many
x
’s and
o
’s to fans of
Fetching
and to my new readers for reaching these very last lines. If a squirm of a hundred earthworms equals five hundred hearts, I wish them all to you.