Acknowledgments
If writing is in
the rewriting, there are many people who deserve significant credit for this book. Early readers who gave me support and suggestions include Alison Pace, Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen, Renee Kaplan, Liz Topp, Elmira Bayrasli, and Suzanne Dottino.
Allison McCabe's brilliant notes and guiding hand changed the book's trajectory and her sage words, “Go darker,” continue to inspire and haunt me.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my agent Lucy Carson. To acknowledge all the work Lucy has put into this book would require another book. But her efforts on my behalf have been invaluable. Molly Friedrich, who first fielded my query and gave notes along with Molly Schulman, thanked me for “Not sobbing in despair as we ripped the book to shreds.” Now it's my turn to thank her for her canny, scissor-handed assessment.
Beth Jarvie explained the engineering of engineering buildings. Valerie Cates taught me about tarot. Through the efforts of Alison Pace and Bene Cipolla I learned crucial beauty how-tos. Raymond Pero's gift made me question my doubt.
My gratitude to the talented and hilarious Rebecca Bohanan is boundless. On every “Final!!!” draft I sent, she provided stellar insights and her enthusiasm continually encouraged me.
Jay Dyckman's support and tagline-writing artistry were priceless, especially important since I could never afford him.
I was beyond fortunate to be published by the rock stars at Soho Teen: I was a fan of Dan Ehrenhaft's writing long before he became my editor. I'm now even more awed by this multi-talented virtuoso who also happens to be a true mensch. Meredith Barnes is a dream publicist who brims with intellect, ingenuity and charm. Bronwen Hruska, an extraordinary publisher, brainstormed with me and leads this immensely talented group that includes the astute and brilliant Rachel Kowal, the super skilled Amara Hoshijo, masterful cover artist Vanessa Han, marvelous “minister of the interior” Janine Agro, and the phenomenal Katie Herman, Delia Casa and Rachel Kambury.
Cheerleaders, inspirations and caretakers also include Pankaj Amin, Shaifali Puri, Kim Barker, Suketu Mehta, Alex Fletcher, Silu Sao, Tom Downey, Charlotte Morgan, Hilary Park, Steve O'Donnell, Lynn Parramore, Joanna Hershon, Kate Morgenroth, Chris Santacroce, Susan Van Allen, Geoff Rodkey, Charlie Rubin, Nina Van Arsdale, Jack Turner and Dana Spector.
I am indebted to several writers whose work influenced my thinking: Daniel Druckman and John A. Swets, Editors,
Enhancing Human Performance: Issues, Theories & Techniques
; Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini and Richard Lannon,
A General Theory of Love
; Laura Kipnis,
Against Love
; Jon Ronson,
The Men
Who Stare at Goats
; Norman Doidge,
The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
; Eknath Easwaran, translator,
The Bhagavad Gita
; Jennifer Kahn, “Can You Call a 9-Year-Old a Psychopath?”,
The New York Times Magazine
; Paul Chambers,
Paranormal People
; Robert D. Hare,
Without Conscience: The Disturbing W
orld of the Psychopaths Among Us
.
Finally, but always primarily, my family. Marcia Epstein, the original guru, was (and is) a perpetual provider of love, humor and support. Amy, Len, Maddie, Benjy and Eli Feldman frequently served as sounding boards and are a consistent source of happiness to me. Paul Epstein was a role model and he remains in my head and heart. Saying thank you for everything seems too meager.