The editors and magazines who supported this novel in its early stages: Roxane Gay and Catherine Chung at Guernica; Ken Chen at CultureStrike; my literary prima Laura Pegram at Kweli. Erin Belieu, Stuart Bernstein, Alexander Chee, Ru Freeman, John McElwee, Diane Roberts, Elizabeth Stuckey-French, and Alexi Zentner for valuable advice and timely guidance.
Peggy and Walt for the apartment on Alki, home to this novel’s biggest revision. Peter Mountford, Urban Waite, Karen Leung-Waite, Brian McGuigan, Laura Scott, and the Richard Hugo House Family for making Seattle feel like home in every other way.
Holy hell, the Grind (especially summer 2012) and its cocreators, Ross White and Matthew Olzmann. Thank you for creating that beast. There is no book without the Grind.
My literary hermanas, Xhenet Aliu, Dara Barnat, Kara Candito, Reese Kwon, and Nina McConigley for their nonstop hustle and support; Charles Baxter and Helena Viramontes for being fantastic role models and mentors.
The M.E.A.N.H.O.E.s and the Skitsos of yesteryear, with a special thanks to Monica Hill, Ankur Pandya, and Chris Principe (and Renuka, honorary Skitso). Cindy Cruz, best friend forever and my favorite Gator, for letting me steal so much.
My little sister, Kathy, for getting back in the water. My parents, Rey and Maria, for always doing their best and for raising me to do the same.
My best friend and first reader, Andrew “Best In Show” Missel, who saw the worst of it, and to whom I owe so much. You are in every word. I will never be able to thank you enough.
About the Author
JENNINE CAPó CRUCET is the author of the story collection How to Leave Hialeah, which won the Iowa Short Fiction Award, the John Gardner Book Prize, and the Devil’s Kitchen Reading Award, and was named a Best Book of the Year by the Miami Herald and the Latinidad List. A PEN/O. Henry Prize winner, Bread Loaf Fellow, and a Picador Guest Professor at the University of Leipzig in Germany, she was raised in Miami and teaches English and Ethnic Studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. You can sign up for email updates here.