All the Feels (Spoiler Alert #2)(114)
THE NEXT DAY, despite Vika’s doubts, Alex convinced her not to edit out the final question.
Three days later, her audience saw the interview in its entirety.
And ten minutes after that, the first new fan account—@LaurenCleggFTW—went live.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THE FACT THAT I EMERGED FROM 2020—AKA THE CURSèD Year of Doom—somewhat intact is entirely due to my friends and family. Those friends consistently emailed, DMed, FaceTimed, and wrote letters and postcards to remind me I was loved and never as isolated as I sometimes felt, and their efforts meant everything to me. I owe special thanks to Therese Beharrie, Emma Barry, and Mia Sosa, who kept me tethered to the world outside my Swedish apartment and who always, always cared about my well-being. You are so dear to me. Thank you.
My husband, as always, accepted me precisely as I am and did his damnedest to support me however he could. My daughter’s pride and faith in me, her unstinting affection and joy and humor, lit the dark Swedish winter. My mom devoted so much time and effort to sending care packages of potato buns, Utz pretzels, and rocks (of course) across the Atlantic. She knew my long absence from the U.S. hurt me, so she cushioned the blow with each overstuffed box, and I’m so grateful. I love you all.
I’m also very, very thankful to Elle Keck, Kayleigh Webb, and everyone else at Avon who worked so hard to make this book shine. Poor Elle had to accomplish some brilliant feats of editing with this manuscript, and I’m still not entirely sure how she managed to wrestle it down to a reasonable length while keeping everything I love about the story intact. Witchcraft, maybe?
As always, my amazing agent Sarah Younger has been indefatigable in her support. It means the world to me to have her in my corner, always.
Leni Kauffman created the most beautiful cover imaginable. I can’t stop staring at it. It’s not only gorgeous, but also perfect for and specific to the story, and I can’t thank her enough.
I couldn’t have written this story without a great deal of help. Susannah Erwin spent untold hours talking to me about California in general and L.A. in particular, and her incredible patience and generosity shaped All the Feels in countless ways. Erin generously shared her experiences as an emergency services clinician with me, and those experiences helped ground Lauren’s character in reality. Shannon Bothwell planned one hell of a kick-ass road trip for Alex and Lauren, and I’m so grateful for her guidance. Once the story was written, Susannah, Therese, and Emma all tackled my 126,000-word behemoth of a draft and offered such insightful feedback—and Emma even read the book a second time once it was edited down to a manageable length, because she is one of the most giving people I’ve ever met.
Melissa Vera, Meryl Wilsner, and Brina Starler were kind enough to read the story and make sure Alex’s character and experiences rang true to them, and I’m beyond thankful for their time and thoughtfulness.
Finally, I want to thank all my readers, and especially those who tweeted to me or emailed me about Spoiler Alert. Your kindness helped me through a tough, tough year, and I hope my stories provide you with joy and distraction when you need both. Hugs and love to you. ?