Tokyo Ever After: A Novel (Tokyo Ever After #1)(82)
Another kiss, deep and long. Akio’s eyes are melting chocolate with a silver ring, awash in the rising moon. Even though there is no music, we dance, swaying back and forth. I lay my cheek on his chest, probably getting makeup on his white T-shirt. We can’t bear to let go, so we don’t. We stay. Linger. Let the night come.
What happens next? Where do we go from here? Is this happily ever after? I don’t know. What I do know is this moment is pretty damn good. That’s got to be worthy of some sort of pyrotechnic display.
Cue fireworks.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
During the copyediting stage of this manuscript, I learned that a friend died. She was one of the inspirations for the AGG. We went our separate ways in high school and didn’t keep in touch much. But she was a formative presence in my life—confident and so comfortable in her own skin. I’m sorry she’s gone. The world will miss you.
There are so many people who make a book into a book. There are people, like my friend mentioned above, who are inspirations. I’d like to add to that list by thanking my husband, Craig, and my twins. Thanks to my parents, who instilled in me a love of reading, which led to a love of writing. Thanks to my siblings, my extended family and friends.
Then there are those people who get their hands dirty and work on the book with you. Thanks to my agent, Erin Harris, who has believed in my writing from the beginning. Thanks to Joelle Hobeika, who is fearless in her edits but also so kind it’s a little suspicious; Sara Shandler; and Josh Bank, all at Alloy. Thanks to Sarah Barley, an amazing editor who believed in this book and saw its heart. Thanks to John Ed de Vera for his wonderful work on the cover. Thanks to the entire team at Flatiron—Sydney Jeon, Megan Lynch, Cristina Gilbert, Malati Chavali, Bob Miller, Claire McLaughlin, Chrisinda Lynch, Vincent Stanley, Jordan Forney, Katherine Turro, Nancy Trypuc, Erin Gordon, Amelia Possanza, Kelly Gatesman, Keith Hayes, Anna Gorovoy, and Jennifer Edwards. And thanks to anyone I’ve forgotten. For those of you who don’t know, author acknowledgments are written far before the book is published. I am writing this in August 2020. In the following months this book will pass through many hands at Flatiron, people I will come to know and respect and wish I could’ve named and thanked formally on paper. I’m thinking of you all now.
Also, thanks to Carrie, a friend and a fabulous reader in Japan who helped with fact-checking. I cannot say enough about what a wonderful person you are—intelligent and thoughtful. I’m so glad we met. There isn’t anyone else I’d like to discuss imperial naming conventions with. Thanks to Naohiro and Ruta, as well, who also read this book and offered feedback.
And finally, thanks to all the readers. I’m so damn lucky that I get to share words with you. My heart is full.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Before Emiko Jean became a writer, she was an entomologist, a candlemaker, a florist, and most recently, a teacher. She lives in Washington with her husband and unruly twins. Emiko is also the author of Empress of All Seasons and We’ll Never Be Apart. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading.
Visit her online at www.emikojean.com, or sign up for email updates here.
@emikojeanbooks