I was less concerned about the Bailey and Griffin in that alternate universe than the ones looking back at me in the mirror. I knew enough now to know the commas and prepositional phrases would keep coming. Some might just knock me off my feet with joy, causing circumstances to change in a big way. Others might produce tears. But they were mine. I claimed the whole damn messy, awful, wonderful paragraph of my life. By claiming it all, I could move on and continue with my life. I could add another word to my repertoire: survivor. I had no idea what the future held for me and Griffin. I didn’t know whether a day like today awaited us or if we would just eat a lot of peanut butter and grow fat and happy.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

In many aspects, the day to day job of writing is a singular effort. In the main, it really does take a village to write a novel.

And, oh my, do I have a wondrous village!?

I have my beloved committee. The ones that read everything and I do mean everything many, many times over. A single scene. They may read it three or four times to make sure that I had it right. And while they are beloved, they can be brutal and honest in their remarks and then turn around and supplement that with kindness and hugs. They are Melissa Walker, Cindy Grim, Amy Royal and Lew Burdette (every committee needs a handsome and Well-Read Man).

There are the cheerleaders. These are no ordinary cheerleaders either. They have Impressive Powers with a pen and paper offering unimpeachable criticism and unfailing suggestions. All the while showing enormous generosity. I call you the Super women of Sewanee: Margot Livesey, Gail Hochman, Christine Schutt, Cheri Peters, Karin Davidson and Amy Greene. Sewanee is my happy place where creativity and kindness dwell together. Rounding it out are Kevin Wilson and Richard Bausch. Once again, a cheerleading squad needs funny and articulate men that sometimes get a bit rowdy!

But every cheerleading squad needs a head cheerleader. The head of my squad has feisty and indefatigable pom-poms. She NEVER let me give up. And goodness knows, there were times I felt like I would be “up in heaven,” before my manuscript saw the light of day. There are not enough adjectives in my repertoire to describe my feelings of love and admiration for you, Jill McCorkle. The bricks have been removed.

Some other wonderful people that have aided in my writing career:

Tracy Curtis (how could someone be so beautiful and so funny. Damn you), Betsy Thorpe, Kim Wright (nobody can touch your query letters) Colleen Oakley, Patti Henry, Lisa Barr (When do y’all find time to sleep?). Judy Goldman, Susie Almon, Regina Romine. And Wyatt and Barbara Prunty (Again, there are not enough adjectives to describe my beloved family at Sewanee).