Ali and Liz, you are dream team. You both trusted in me at a time when I needed it most, and it is getting past that wobble (remember?) that made this book something to be proud of. Ali, thank you for your kindness and guidance; Liz, thank you for working so tirelessly on STARS and moulding my thoughts into something that made sense. Sarah L, thank you for coming in when we all needed you the most. This book would not be the same without you. Soraya, Jennie, Amy, Melissa, Lucy and everyone else in Editorial, I am so grateful for you.

Thank you to the marketing team: Jas, Sarah G, Siobhan, Hilary, Rebecca, Olivia and everyone else – you’re such wonderful champions. Heather and Lizzie, thank you for designing the proof, it is so magical. Ray, Janene and Laura, I can’t thank you enough for the perfect cover. I squealed when I saw it. Before signing with an agent and getting a book deal, there was Yasmin. Everyone needs a Yasmin in their lives (preferably not mine, though). We met when our stories were picked for A Change is Gonna Come and have been lucky enough to see the rest of this crazy journey through together. Thank you for being my unofficial mentor and for holding my hand through this process. You are my hero. And then came Lucy. You complete our coven and I am forever in awe of your drive and talent. Thank you for inspiring Izzy’s guinea pig obsession.

I have such wonderful friends, including Holly (my publishing and agency sister), Katya, Joseph, Sarah, Sam C, and the rest of the debut group – you know who you are. Then there’s Rachel and Annabel, my first readers, Mariam, my first champion, and Rebecca, my first mentee. Thank you, Steph, for always being there for the cat photos and making me feel like a real-life author. Iram, thank you for listening so patiently to the plot for the failed book-we-shall-not-speak-of, and for being the best cheerleader a friend could have. Becca and Ravina, thank you for your unwavering support over the years in every way – you are both marvellous and I love that we get to watch each other stumble through life. And Danah, thank you for feeding me books in Kuwait when we were thirteen and it was difficult to find them.

Thank you to the Rentons and Co. for dealing with an unkempt, moody writer when none of this made any sense. A special thanks to Lynda and Robert for taking in a stray, and Lucy R for inspiring the crazy cat lady, designing my author signature, and keeping me (in)sane.