She watched the roses sway gently in the breeze and thought about Peter. She did that often. When things were quiet, her mind always seemed to drift to him. She’d had a handful of dreams about him, but when she woke up, she was only left with fleeting glimpses of starry eyes and a toothy smile. Many times she’d wished she had a picture of him, or something more substantial than her drawings to remember him by, other than the acorn that she still wore around her neck every day.

Wendy sighed. It nestled into the center of her chest reassuringly. The longing ache came back as it always did when she thought of him. Wendy closed her eyes and did her best to conjure up an image of him grinning. She thought about the small chip in his front tooth and the way the corners of his eyes crinkled. Wendy smiled as a breeze picked up, causing the grass to dance against her skin. The wind brushed against her cheeks, smelling sweet as honeysuckle. Under the rustling of leaves, Wendy could’ve sworn she heard the soft chirping of crickets.

Wendy’s breath caught in her throat. She opened her eyes.

Acknowledgments

Lost in the Never Woods has been seven years in the making, during which I’ve grown, regressed, and changed. Throughout those years, many people helped this story grow, and, in kind, helped me grow. I owe thanks to so many of you.

Shelby Gagnon: You and your family took me in during one of the darkest times of my life. You introduced me to Astoria one weekend in spring, and I’ve been in love with those woods ever since. Without you, this story wouldn’t exist.

To Kathryn Reiss, for being my guide throughout undergraduate and grad school at Mills. I decided to pursue writing when I was a high school junior and sat in on your Young Adult writing course. Without you, I wouldn’t be the writer I am today.

To Marisa Handler, whose mentoring made Wendy’s story come to life in beautiful and poignant ways. You were a grounding force when everything seemed impossible to reach.

To Ellen McAmis and Mackenzie Bronaugh, who staged a ridiculous intervention when they saw me struggling, but mostly for your unwavering love and loyalty. Thanks for all the belly laughs and tight hugs.

To Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong: Without you, I would never have survived grad school. You are amazing.

To Elizabeth Stelle and Tanya Lisle, my amazing writing partners. Thank you for encouraging me to continue writing and being with me through every twist and turn of getting this book published. You two are the real heroes.

To all my writing buddies at H.O.W.—Genny, Maggie, Manasi, Mary—some of the most talented writers I know, who created a community where I could improve my writing, explore distant places, and experience magic.