While I’m on the subject of Stanford, I’d like to thank Dr. Quynh Le, my boss while I worked at Stanford so many years ago. Thank you for taking a chance on me and for encouraging me to write after my day’s work was finished. You always said I’d be published someday, and that meant so much to me.
And now thanks to my friends: To Lindsey Terrell, my bestest bestie, for being unapologetically Team Christian when everyone else was pulling for Tuck. To Melissa Stockham, who made me feel like my book was “shiny,” even those times when I kind of hated it. To Joan Kremer, for always being so willing to read for me and to write with me. I am so happy we stumbled into each other as newbies. To Sarah Hall, who has cheered from the sidelines and put my book into so many hands at your library. And last, but certainly not least, to Amy Yowell, who impresses and inspires me daily with your own drive and determination as a writer. I have no doubt that you’ll be putting me into your acknowledgments someday soon.
I also want to thank my writer buddies, starting with the amazing and hilarious Brodi Ashton, a kindred spirit if there ever was one. Fate is a funny thing, but I am so glad it drew us together. To Anna Carey, Tahereh Mafi, and Veronica Rossi, for being the best tour mates and confidantes ever. To Jodi Meadows, for her quiet support and knitted fingerless gloves, and the lovely Courtney Allison Moulton, for giving me permission to have Midas chow down on jelly beans the way Pia does. You’re still on to name the horses in my next book. Finally, a huge thank-you to Kiersten White, for waxing poetic on how much you love Erica—I will always be grateful that you put her on my radar. You rock.
And now thanks to my family:
My mother, Carol Ware, for the hours that you hovered in the corners at bookstores and middle schools with my baby strapped to your chest. Thanks for your wholehearted love for Clara and her story, from the first time I read you the prologue over the phone. And to Jack Ware, thank you for your warmth, your kindness, your humor, and for all the innumerable ways that you offer your support. I’m so glad to be part of your family.
My dad, Rod Hand, for listening whenever I called to rant or worry and always making me feel, by the end of those conversations, like I was capable of doing whatever I set my mind to. And to Julie Hand, for always being eager to read my drafts and giving me your honest opinion.
To my beautiful and hilarious children, Will and Maddie, thank you for keeping me grounded and teaching me to see life from fresh eyes. Squeeze, I love you.
And finally, to my husband, John. This year was a long haul for you, too, and there’s so much to thank you for: for being such a smart, insightful first editor, who helped me unravel so many problems and story lines, for all those brainstorming sessions over dinner, all those late-night last-minute read-throughs, for taking care of the kids without complaint when I had to travel or spend a day working, for your insistence that the book was good and I was good and I could do it, and for sometimes just offering me the hug I needed at the end of the day. I would never have come so far without you by my side.