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Back The Beholder Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. Acknowledgments
  61. About the Author
  62. Books by Anna Bright
  63. Back Ad
  64. About the Publisher

To the handful of friends who first read these pages so many years ago, including Julia Kiewit, Anna Sims, Sally Anderson, Katie Kump, and Rosiee Thor: Your elated texts and emails were what kept my fragile little snowflake heart beating for so many months. I owe you a great debt of comfort, friendship, and enthusiasm. And to Lei’La’ Bryant, who read every iteration of everything: you are my soul sister. Thank you for always lending me a little of your bravery when I run out of my own. I love you so much, friend.

To #TeamElana—Shannon Price, Lily Meade, Leigh Mar, June Tan, Deeba Zargarpur, and Alexa Donne: I adore you guys. Rose-gold glitter hearts and cherry PopTarts to each of you.

To Eileen McGervey, the owner of One More Page Books in Arlington, Virginia: thank you for taking a chance on me when I didn’t know [insert poop emoji] about being a bookseller. You are the kindest boss I could have asked for and working for you changed the game for me. To Lelia Nebeker, Amanda Quain, Rebecca Speas, Lauren Wengrovitz, Rosie Dauval, Eileen O’Connor, Trish Brown, Sally McConnell, and everyone else, your support and enthusiasm have meant the world. It is a joy to see your faces every day at work. Thanks also to Rosie for your tireless efforts to get one (1) photo that I won’t make a face at. Or in. You are a gem.

To the Pod—Hannah Whitten, Jen Fulmer, Joanna Meyer, Laura Weymouth, and Steph “Stephinephrine” Messa: publishing is scary, uncharted territory. Here be dragons. Being friends with you guys feels like having a map, and a sword, and a whole army at my back. All my love to you, always, my imaginary housemates. Tea in my attic room at four.

To Abbey Carter Jack and Erin Whatley Andrews: thank you for believing in me and for being my friends. I love you both so much.

To my family, the Gardners, Dormineys, Sernas, Andersons, Burkhalters, Shafers, Simkinses, Stiglishes, Hayeses, Bischoffs, and everyone else: I love you all. Thank you for your support while I waited for this day to come.

To Mamaw: thank you for your imagination. I love you so much. I like to think Holly and Molly and Genevieve live in a corner of one of the worlds I’ve created. To Grandmother and Granddaddy/Washing Machine: thank you for all the time you spent with me when I was a teen. I will always be your girl. I love you.

To Brother Bear: so much of me is also you. I hope you enjoy this story. I love you, Chelsie, Cohen, and Callan with all my heart.