American Girls(72)

The Manson girls were lost girls who made bad choices. Really bad choices. And in some cases, most cases actually, wound up being really, really sorry about those choices.

What does one do with that?

Rather than mirroring the Manson family, I decided to write a novel that put the focus on emotional violence—the kind that doesn’t leave the obvious scars. I wanted Anna’s “crime,” as it were, to be invisible but damaging. I wanted her to be forgivable.

Anna is a “regular” girl who finds her way home. I think that the Manson family continues to fascinate because—as hard as it is to imagine—the Manson girls were once “regular” girls as well.





Acknowledgments

I suppose there are books still written by the artist, toiling alone, wrestling with her genius—but this was not one of them! This book was written catch-as-catch-can, during toddler naps, in the waiting room of auto shops while the oil got changed, fifteen minutes at a time before I started the official day, and on occasion in large chunks, thanks to the generosity of Bruce and Judy Umminger, Mike Mattison, and the most caring Pam Murphy and Julie Reed.

One of the great advantages of being a late bloomer (that is to say, someone whose “first novel” is published after one has been writing for years) is that along the way I have collected some truly wonderful writer friends and brilliant readers, whose insights were instrumental in drafting, redrafting, and finally finishing this book. Thanks first and foremost to Margaret Mitchell, a friend and fellow writer extraordinaire, who read more versions of this than I could count. Thanks especially to Bob Bledsoe, Romayne Dorsey, Dana Johnson, Michelle Ross, Meg Pearson, Mike Mattison (again), Bruce Umminger (again), Jim Elledge, Dionne Bremyer, Sean Jepson, Christine Sneed, David Groff, Sarah Dotts Barley, Yael Sherman, and Neeti Madan for reading drafts, offering insight, and being most excellent cheerleaders. And speaking of cheerleaders—thank you, Kate Gace Walton, for your wonderful Web site, Work Stew, which inspired me to get back on the horse as a novelist after putting that dream aside. Thanks to Greg Frasier for helping me place an early section of this novel. Thanks to Bernadette Murphy, Alexandra Cordero, Linda Rattner Metcalf, McCalla Hill-McKaharay, Amy McIlwain, Lisa Connell and Jason Keesling, Elaine McSorley-Gerard, Dave Mandel, Aelred Dean, Jan Tolbert, and Katherine Hamburger-Schneider and April Umminger for always lending an ear and encouragement when I needed it most. GURU mamas, you know who you are, and thanks for your support and insights. Thanks also to Josh Black and Thomas Jones for their early help with research and to Jill Sutton for photos. And to Philip Pascuzzo for the amazing cover design.

Extra-special thanks to Neeti Madan for being the best agent ever—fabulous friend, wonderful reader, tireless advocate. I cannot say what a pleasure it was to work with Sarah Dotts Barley, the brilliant, lovely editor who helped make this book strong in ways that I couldn’t have predicted. Thank you. Thanks to the others who have made this experience of bringing a book into the world a dream come true—Amy Einhorn, Sarah Castleton, Madeleine Clark, Marlena Bittner, Sheryl Johnston, Liz Keenan, Molly Fonseca, Karen Horton, and Szilvia Molnar. I couldn’t be more excited to be on the Flatiron list. Thanks to Caroline Abbey and Donna Bray as well.

Thanks also to my big extended family—Judie Mattison, John and Lynne Mattison, Miles and Judy Renaas, and Katrina, Will, and Geneva Rutherford, and more Ummingers, Aherons, and Bryants than I can list—you’ve all been so encouraging and interested. This is a book—ultimately—about family, and I am blessed to have lived long enough to be able to see and truly appreciate how much love I have in my life. I couldn’t list everyone who’s offered an encouraging word along the way, but every bit of kindness mattered. (Do I sound like Jewel? Help!)

And finally, thank you, Mike and Maggie. You are my great loves and make it all worthwhile.