Acknowledgments

It takes a village, that's all I can say. I owe a ginormous debt of gratitude to the many people who helped me get this book off the ground and for believing in me even when I didn't believe in myself.

With all my heart I'd like to thank my husband, Cameron, whose support and love is unending, for never letting me give up (and for making sure the kids didn't go without bathing for days at a time while I was writing this book); Pam Sullivan, one part agent, one part editor, one part friend, for keeping me grounded and for all the laughter; my mother Nan for her unwavering faith and for helping me to find mine; my valiant first readers, Robert Stickney, Gian Gosine, and Amanda Davis, for their motivation, enthusiasm, and honesty; J. Mark Lane, attorney extraordinaire, for his expert and generous guidance; Craig Gordon for keeping me stocked in reading material and vampire paraphernalia; my brother Kyle for cheerfully enduring all of my questions on high school life, love, and lingo; the talented team at Langdon Street Press for helping to make this book a reality; and especially, my wonderful children, Connor, Noah, and Olivia for being so patient when mommy needed "just one more minute" to finish that chapter.

Finally, to my parents, who always encouraged me to think differently and fueled my hungry imagination with as many books as I could sink my teeth into, and to my beautiful family, whose love makes every breath worth more than I can possibly imagine, thank you for everything.