The Winemaker's Wife(109)

acknowledgments


I couldn’t do what I do without the dream duo of Holly Root, my brilliant literary agent, and Abby Zidle, my equally brilliant editor. I don’t say it often enough, but I adore you both, and I can’t imagine being on this journey without either of you. I firmly believe I’m the luckiest author in the world.

To my dear Kristin Dwyer (I love you, lady!), Meagan Harris, and Michelle Podberezniak: Thank you so much for being such rock stars at handling publicity. Heather Baror-Shapiro and Dana Spector, you are beyond amazing, and I’m so grateful to be working with both of you. To Andy Cohen: what a long, wild ride this has been, my dear friend! I can’t wait for the next step in our adventure! And to Danielle Noe: Thanks for all your ad help!

Jen Bergstrom: Thanks for all the support and kindness! Have I mentioned lately that I love being a Gallery author? I adore my whole Gallery team, including Diana Velasquez, Wendy Sheanin, Jen Long, Mackenzie Hickey, Nancy Tonik, Faren Bachelis, Lisa Litwack, Chelsea McGuckin, Anabel Jimenez, Sara Quaranta, Ali Lacavaro, and Aimée Bell. I owe Carolyn Reidy a big debt of gratitude, too.

A special thanks to the Target book club team for making The Room on Rue Amélie a Target pick—and also for having such a dangerously tantalizing store, where I (over)shop at least once a week—as well as to Writer’s Block, my wonderful local indie bookstore in Winter Park, Florida, and its delightful owner, Lauren Zimmerman! And to all of you out there who are working hard running independent stores, especially LeAnne Rollins of Writer’s Block, and Cathy Graham, Serena Wyckoff, and Jean Lewis of the charming Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida: Thank you so much for creating friendly, welcoming, engaging places for book lovers in your communities. Thank you, too, to Lisa Proto, the best Barnes & Noble bookseller in the business!

Thanks to those who helped me research this book, most of whom are mentioned in the author’s note. And thanks to all my wonderful foreign publishers. I feel so fortunate to have my books available in so many different languages. Each time I receive an email from a reader in Israel, Italy, Germany, Holland, China, Russia, or elsewhere around the globe, I’m reminded of what a gift it is to get to connect with people whose lives might not otherwise intersect with mine. It’s something I’ll never take for granted.

Every summer, I get together with an amazing group of writers to spend a week together—usually in Swan Valley, Idaho—and I don’t think I’d be half the writer I am without the support of those talented storytellers. I adore each and every one of my Swan Valley sisters and brother: Wendy Toliver, Linda Gerber, Allison van Diepen, Emily Wing Smith, Alyson No?l, and Jay Asher.

I’m also so grateful to all the women and men who make up the online community of book bloggers, book lovers, and authors who love to read. It’s such a supportive group, and I know I should participate more often, rather than (mostly) just lurking. But please do know that I’m always following along, and I’m really thankful for all your support and camaraderie, even if I don’t always say it enough. A special shout-out to Melissa Amster, Jenny O’Regan, the buzzy Kristy Barrett, Aestas, Amy Bromberg, Lorelai, Brenda Janowitz, Liz Fenton, Lisa Steinke, Hailey Fish, Elizabeth Silver, Jen Cannon, Lloyd Russell, Kim Jackson, Karen Trosterud, Andrea Peskind Katz, Nancy Harris, Bobbi Dumas, Jenny Collins Belk, Sharlene Martin Moore, and so many more!

A huge thank-you to all of you who have been a part of my son’s life and have made him feel so safe and loved while I’m working, especially Lauren, Bridget, Dinorah, Dayana, Rachel, Debbie, and Cindy.

To all my dear friends and all our amazing neighbors: I’m so lucky to be surrounded by such an awesome group of supportive, wonderful people.

And, of course, to my mom (Carol), dad (Rick), Janine, Wanda, Mark, Karen, Barry, William, James, Dave, Johanna, Brittany, Jarryd, Chloe, Donna, Courtney, and the whole family (especially my World War II research buddy, Grandpa Trouba): I love you all!

To Jason and Noah: I spend so much time and energy writing words for other people that I sometimes wonder if I fail to save enough of them to tell the two of you just how much you mean to me. I love you both so very deeply, and I’m profoundly grateful that I get to spend my life with you.

And finally to you, the reader: Thank you for spending a bit of your valuable time with me. It’s an honor, and I’m more grateful than I could ever say. Merci beaucoup.