Throughout this book, you may have caught a number of cameos and references to some wonderful young adult and middle grade authors. There are approximately 25 of them, some far more subtle than others. While you have fun trying to figure out who they are, I wanted to thank these people in an interesting way. All of them appear in the book as a reference to the main theme of The Insiders: at one point or another, each have made me feel safe and accepted within this community. Thank you to these people. You changed my life forever.

Thank you, Baize White, for helping me with this manuscript before you left this world. I miss you, and I wish you were still alive to see it become a book.

And finally, for all the queer and trans kids out there! Whether you know who you are or you’re still discovering yourself or whether you come to the truth later in life, I want each of you to know:

No one is ever really alone.

Much love,

Mark Oshiro

About the Author

Photo by Zoraida Córdova

MARK OSHIRO is the award-winning author of the YA books Anger Is a Gift and Each of Us a Desert. When they are not writing, they are busy trying to fulfill their lifelong goal of petting every dog in the world. The Insiders is their middle grade debut.

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