Ashley Murphy is a young woman who was born with HIV and gives speeches and writes columns about her experiences. You can follow her on Twitter at @TheAshleyRose_ or watch her TED Talk, “How to Be Extraordinary” (July 2, 2015).

Ben Banks has written and spoken a lot about how having HIV hasn’t stopped him from having children (which is something Simone worries about). He’s written for Time and was commended for his work by President Obama.

Shawn Decker and his partner, Gwenn, are a sero-diverse couple who use their relationship as a jumping-off point to talk about sexual health. Visit them at shawnandgwenn.com or follow Shawn at @shawndecker.

George M. Johnson is a queer black man with HIV who writes about his experiences, including in his YA memoir, All Boys Aren’t Blue (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2020). Visit him at iamgmjohnson.com or follow him at @iamgmjohnson.

Rae Lewis-Thornton is a black woman who has had HIV for over thirty years. She blogs about her experiences at raelewisthornton.com, and you can also follow her on Twitter at @raelt.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’ve been on my publishing journey ever since I was thirteen, so my acknowledgments are long and very dramatic. I apologize in advance.

The first person I have to thank is my mother, because this book wouldn’t exist without her. Mom: I read the dedication to you and you didn’t “get it.” So “for Mom, always,” means I’m able to do all of this because of you. All of your love and support and everything you’ve sacrificed. For never once doubting me, even though I do it all the time. I love you more than anything, even though you don’t read.

Bri: I don’t even know where to start. Thank you for pulling me out of the slush and seeing something there. For taking a chance on me. For teaching me more about writing than I thought I could possibly learn with one book. For your editor’s eye, your business sense, and the fact you don’t take any shit. For being honest. For answering all my random emails and all the brainstorming sessions. For coming up with the sex-store scene. For laughing at all my jokes. For making my dreams come true. I couldn’t ask for a better agent.

Allie: I just want to leave you a bunch of exclamation points, but that’s not fair. Thank you for answering emails with weird questions and reassuring me every time I freaked out (which was often). For listening to me talk about college. For freaking out about the cover of this book with me. For your notes and your attention and your hard work. For your support. You’re the best.