The Other Side(97)

Thank you to Robin Stonehocker for 30+ years of friendship. I’ve grown up with you and continue to grow with you. Your laughter is contagious, and your positive attitude always reminds me that we are surrounded by so much that is good in this world. Here’s to another thirty years of friendship. Love you!

Thank you to Colleen Hoover for always being a stellar human being. The way you see the world and the people in it, from every perspective, is a rare and beautiful thing. Thank you for your friendship, you inspire me. Love you!

Thank you to Lin Reynolds for always making me smile. And laugh. You’re one of those people who truly makes me feel better/happier/bolder when I spend five minutes with you. You are a precious human being and I’m so lucky to call you my friend. Love you!

Thank you to Ginger Scott for your sage-like wisdom in helping me navigate this release. And for just being awesome, thank you for that too. Love you!

Thank you to Bob Ault for gifting me the love of music. When we were in eighth grade, we were listening to music in your room and you played “Close to Me” by The Cure. I remember it vividly because I’d never heard anything like it. That was the exact moment that I fell in love with music. I haven’t seen you in almost thirty years, but I want you to know that you are one of the best friends I’ve ever had. I wish you happiness, health, and peace wherever you are, my friend.

Thank you to Sara Moncada and her 2016-2017 eighth grade English students at Silver Hills Middle School. The honesty you shared with me when I visited your class, and the bravery and vulnerability it took to do so, helped inspire this book and solidify my determination to write about depression and suicide. I’m hugging each and every one of you!

Thank you to Andy Hull for writing the most thought-provoking, gorgeous lyrics and songs I’ve ever heard. Your words inspire emotion. And emotion inspires art, change, ideas, love, and life. The ripple effect is massive. Keep doing what you’re doing. Please. All the gratitude to you!

Thank you to Denise Milano Sprung, who works closely with The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Keith Milano Memorial Fund, for taking the time to educate me about the resources available for suicide prevention and for sharing your personal story with me. Thank you for making a difference in this world!

Thank you to Lori “Goddess of Editing” Sabin for your time, care, smarts, talent, and heart. I adore so many things about you, but I’ve added editing to the list. You took on this story as your own and put so much love and careful thought into your feedback. Toby, Alice, and I thank you for making us all better. Love you, superstar!

Thank you to Christine Estevez and Monique Tarver for putting your keen eyes on this manuscript and being the last line of defense in the proofreading department. I am eternally grateful because I could read this thing 5,000 times (it feels like I have) and miss the obvious. Love you both!

Thank you to Autumn Gantz at WordSmith Publicity for lending your expertise and making this release less scary. Many, many thanks!

Thank you to my agents Jane Dystel and Lauren Abramo at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC. You make this girl’s dreams come true. Your support and belief in my little stories mean the world to me. Love to you both!

Thank you to Mom and Dad for being the best parents/mentors/friends/cheerleaders a girl could ask for. Love you both to the moon and back!

Thank you to my husband, B. I, literally, wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you for twenty-nine years of endless patience, friendship, humor, support, loyalty, love, caring, and kindness. And for making me pretty book covers, thank you for that too. I love you more than you could ever imagine!

Thank you to my son, Phoenix, for inspiring me in all ways. I have a million favorite things about you, but your heart is my favorite favorite. Your compassionate, gentle, kind approach to life is stunning. I’m so proud to know you, let alone to be the one you call Mama. I love, love, love, love you!

Thank you to readers, bloggers, bookstagrammers, and foreign publishers for spreading the love about my books. Word of mouth is the most genuine, authentic form of promotion—you’ve mastered it. Authenticity is my jam, so your kindness makes my heart smile on a daily basis. Love you all!

And last but not least, thank you to my closed group on Facebook, Bright Siders, for being the most awesome friends on the planet. We are truly a family in every sense of the word. You show me on a daily basis what kindness in action is and provide a safe environment where everyone feels accepted and valued for who they are. I feel incredibly lucky that you let me hang out with cool kids like you. Love you all so much!





Playlist





Music inspires. Absolutely and endlessly. These are the songs that brought Toby and his story to life.





“Sleeper 1972” by Manchester Orchestra “Oats In the Water” by Ben Howard “Sit Next to Me” by Foster the People “Us Vs Them” by Spring King

“Overlap” by Catfish and the Bottlemen “Kamikaze” by Walk the Moon

“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay “Someone to You” by Banners

“Particles” by Nothing But Thieves “My Backwards Walk” by Frightened Rabbit “Mother” by The Hunna

“The Maze” by Manchester Orchestra “Next To Me” by Imagine Dragons “Sorry” by Nothing But Thieves “11 Minutes” (feat. Travis Barker) by YUNGBLUD & Halsey “I See You” by Missio