It Wasn't Always Like This (28 page)
Charlie held out his arms, and she closed the distance between them.
Acknowledgments
It’s a strange and wonderful task to write a story about immortality: A girl and a boy, in love and stuck at seventeen. A Fountain of Youth. The crazy, sad, happy, romantic, and dangerous hundred-year adventure that happens when they lose each other.
An American fairy tale
, I told my editor.
And make it funny sometimes
, he said.
No problem
, I told him.
But I also want to make you cry. Because living forever, that would sometimes make you cry, right?
Thank you times eternity to Daniel Ehrenhaft for believing I could write this book and giving me the time and copious editorial notes to get it right.
And to the entire Soho Press team, including but not limited to Bronwen Hruska, Juliet Grames, Rachel Kowal, Janine Agro, Meredith Barnes, Rudy Martinez and cover designer Christian Fuenfhausen—I am ever so lucky to be part of your astonishingly creative, nimble crew.
It is impossible to f ind enough thank yous for Jennifer Rofé, best agent ever, who encourages, supports, negotiates like a pit bull, and occasionally reminds me to get over my bad self.
To my lovely critique partners, especially Christina Mandelski, Varsha Bajaj, Colleen Thompson, and Kim O’Brien: thank you for endless encouragement with each draft—and there were a LOT of drafts.
Hugs to the author crew at Lodge of Death, the best writing retreat with insanely abundant taxidermy in Texas. I can’t even . . . And thanks to my Houston writers, The YAHOUS, for enthusiastic cheerleading and generosity.
Another round of thanks to every blogger and bookseller and librarian who has supported me and my books. I absolutely could not do this without you.
And as always to Rick, Jake, and Kellie: I love you all forever and forever.
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