The Disenchantments (28 page)

Thank you to my friends who volunteered to be early readers: Jessica Jacobs, Eric Levy, and Nate Davis, and my supportive, insightful writing group: Carly Anne West, Laura Davis, Lizzie Brock, and Teresa Miller. You all gave me much-needed clarity and guidance when I was fumbling through the early drafts. Mia Nolting, thank you for making the title and the days of the week so pretty

Amanda Krampf: thank you for loving everything I have ever written. Mandy and Eli Harris: thank you for the unwavering support and the many, many celebratory toasts. Vanessa Micale: thank you for choosing to be a farmer so I could put it in my book. Grandmother and
Grandfather: thank you for your wisdom and warmth. The LaCours, Gordons, Proctors, Hoveys, Strobles, Ogulnicks, and Blanton-Hubbards: thank you for giving me such a wonderful family. QPs: thank you for being you. I love you all.

Sara Crowe is the best advocate a writer could ask for. Thank you for your lightning-quick answers to every single question, for egg creams, and for working so hard for my books. Julie Strauss-Gabel possesses the unparalleled gift of asking the right questions. Thank you for asking them of me, and for pushing me beyond what I thought I could do. I am so grateful and honored to work with both of you.

Thank you to Scottie Bowdich, Liza Kaplan, Anna Jarzab, Emilie Bandy, Lisa Kelly, Bernadette Cruz, Shanta Newlin, Emily Romero, Ashley Fedor, Eileen Kreit, Rosanne Lauer, Theresa Evangelista, Marie Kent, and everyone else at Penguin Young Readers Group for giving me such a good home. I can’t describe how it feels to have such an amazing team of people working to make sure my books reach readers.

Thank you to Sarah Ruhl for generously allowing me to use lines from her
Melancholy Play
. Thanks also to Sleater-Kinney, The Runaways, The Supremes, Heart, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Bon Iver, The National, and Camera Obscura for providing the sound track to the writing of this book.

Thank you to Maybeck High School for your energy and quirkiness and warmth. To all the readers who have written to me: your letters and emails are the greatest gifts.

So many friends contributed pieces of themselves to this novel. Thank you for being the beautiful people you are. I’m lucky to have you to inspire me.