Paul LeClerc and Marshall Rose hired me at the New York Public Library, the place where my childhood love of writing reignited. Mary Deane Sorcinelli created the rare kind of work–life balance that allowed me to pursue other passions outside of the office. Mira Bartók served as a constant source of encouragement. And the Massachusetts Cultural Council provided the gift of financial support and recognition at a time when I needed it most.
My devoted agent, Jennifer Gates, and her colleagues at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, particularly Lane Zachary and Esmond Harmsworth, believed in the story I wanted to tell. I will forever be grateful to Jen for opening the door, and to Elizabeth Bruce, my wonderful editor at Picador, for ushering me in. The thoughtfulness and care that Elizabeth, Jen, and their colleagues invested in my work far surpassed every reasonable hope or expectation, and this book has safely reached your hands because of their collective efforts.
Last, but not least, thank you to the Yuns, the Andersons, and my extended family of friends for the constancy of their love and support over the years. I am especially thankful to my husband, Joel Anderson, to whom this book is dedicated. In addition to being the very first reader of these pages, Joel believed when I didn’t, pushed when I couldn’t, and never let me forget that this was a story that deserved to be told.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JUNG YUN was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. She attended Vassar College, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Her work has appeared in Tin House (the “Emerging Voices” issue); The Best of Tin House: Stories, edited by Dorothy Allison; and The Massachusetts Review; and she is a recipient of an honorable mention for the Pushcart Prize and an Artist Fellowship in fiction from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. She lives in western Massachusetts with her husband. You can sign up for email updates here.