We Are Not Like Them(106)

Today, though, as another mother grieves, is not one of those days.





Acknowledgments


It truly takes a village to make a book. We’re so thankful for ours. It might be a little unorthodox for us to start off by thanking each other, but we’re just going to do it. Writing this book together has deepened our friendship and our professional relationship in so many ways. It wasn’t always easy—nothing worthwhile ever is—but our goal was always to create something that neither of us could have done alone, and it’s gratifying to believe we achieved that. Having a partner makes the process of writing, usually such a solitary endeavor, so much less lonely. Thanks for teaching me how to make an em-dash, Jo, and being patient when I forgot over and over… thankfully you made me a mug to remind me. And, Christine, thank you for getting so dressed up for all of our Google Hangouts. I’ll never forget your bathrobe.

We’re indebted to the early readers of this book, and those people who were generous enough to let us interview them—every one of whom offered invaluable feedback and information. So thank you to: Kelly Robbins, Darrell Jordan, Shauna Robinson, Kate Kennedy, Brenda Copeland, Melissa Danaczko, Kara Logan Berlin, Chelley Talbert, Matthew Horace, Julie Kauffunger, Karyn Marcus, Laura Lewis, Molly Goodson, Glynnis MacNicol, Amy Benzinger, Dave Williams, Cyndi Doyle, Dawn Turner, Lashanda Anakwah, and Jo’s Lit Club—Emily Foote, Leslie Mariotti, Alison Goldblum, Sarah Pierce, Dana Duffy, Gabrielle Canno, Johanna Dunleavy, and Nydia Han. Massive thanks to Dan Wakeford for being such a wonderful (and handsome) cheerleader.

Bringing this book into the world was quite a journey. It’s hard to even find words to describe how blessed we feel that this book landed with Atria and HQ and two incredible editors.

Thank you to Lindsay Sagnette and Manpreet Grewal for your care with and passion for this story and for treating Riley and Jen like close friends. And to the entire teams at Atria and HQ: we see you, we appreciate you, we couldn’t have done any of this without you. Also a special shout-out to Laywan Kwan for designing a jacket that was love at first sight.

Our agents, Pilar Queen and Byrd Leavell, believed in this book from the first day they read it. In the midst of the unpredictable twists and turns in the journey of this book, not to mention one of the craziest years of modern human history, they were ports in the storm and gave us the confidence to keep pushing forward. We will forever be grateful for your kindness, enthusiasm, and tenacity and for their generally being two of the best people in publishing.

That’s tough competition, because as two people who have been involved in this industry in various capacities for almost two decades, it’s our great fortune that we’ve gotten to count some of the sharpest, most curious, generous, and supportive people as colleagues, creative guides, mentors, and friends. The list is too numerous to name, but you know who you are, and we appreciate you.

And now for some individual thank-yous…

Jo:

I always worried that being a mom would put an end to my writing career. How could I possibly find the time to do something as self-indulgent as disappearing into fictional worlds while trying to keep small humans alive? I’m happy to report that my kids, Charlie and Bea, have made me a better, happier, and more prolific writer in so many ways, but mostly by cracking my heart wide open to new parts of the human experience. Thank you to my mom, Tracey Piazza, for taking the two little monsters away on plenty of overnights so I could have time to write and sleep and breathe. Thank you also for being my biggest fan. And to Tshiamo Monnakgotla for loving my kids like your own family and letting me be a working mom. My long-suffering husband, Nick Aster, is the only person on the planet besides my mother who has read everything I’ve ever written, and he read and critiqued this book over and over again, even after I promised him it was finished. Of course, it was never truly finished. Thank you, my dear. Ten thousand years of love.

Christine:

In the immortal words of the very wise Mindy Kaling, a best friend isn’t a person, it’s a tier, and I’m so fortunate to have so many people in that tier it threatens to topple. It’s a good problem to have that I can’t name everyone here without taking up too much space, but you know who you are and you know I would be lost without you. What you can’t know is how grateful I am for you, and how much I love you, because it’s nearly beyond comprehension. But it is the most important truth of my life. Another truth: this book wouldn’t exist without you.

Not only do I have the best friends, I lucked out in the family department too. Sitting at the poker table with the Prides, or around a dinner table piled high with John Pride’s famous ribs, or in the back of the family van heading toward Alabama with Sam Cooke on the 8-track are but a few of a zillion experiences and memories that, stitched together, constituted the happiest childhood a good girl could ask for. That’s largely thanks to my parents, the two best people I know. They taught me by word and example that it doesn’t matter how smart or successful or popular you are, the one thing you should work really hard at above all else is being a good person. I’ve tried to live by that philosophy and it’s served me well. I’m happy to have written a book if only to have a public forum to memorialize these words in print: Thank you to John and Sallie for being you and helping me to become me. I can never repay you for all the unwavering support, wise advice, grounding calm, cheerful optimism, and endless generosity (and, of course, the jokes. So many jokes.). But know this: To make you proud is the point of everything.