The Young Elites (27 page)

T
he Young Elites
began as a hero’s journey—a boy takes on the task of mastering his powers and vanquishing the villain. The story didn’t work, though, and I was left struggling in the middle of nowhere, trying to figure out why. One day, as I mulled this over with my agent, Kristin Nelson, she said, “Hey, what about this Adelina girl? She’s an interesting side character.”

“Oh, yeah,” I replied, distracted. “She’s a fun bad girl to write. I hope I can keep her around if I redo this.”

Kristin said, “Maybe she should be the star.”

Sometimes, all it takes to see the right path is a flash of brilliant insight from someone else. I realized the problem was that I didn’t want to tell a hero’s journey; I wanted to tell a villain’s.

So thank you, Kristin, for your wit, wisdom, and wonderful friendship. The book would not exist without you.

Subsequently, I never would have been able to turn that lopsided first draft into a proper story without the steady guiding hand of my editor and friend, Jen Besser. You are awesome in every possible way.

For your razor-sharp feedback—thank you JJ, Amie, and Jess Spotswood, for pushing me to become a better storyteller. I love your brains, and I love your books.

I never would have saved myself from many, many embarrassing copyediting mishaps without the incredibly smart Anne Heausler at my side. If I don’t know something, I know that you will.

Thank you to the lovely folks of Team Putnam and Team Penguin, for tirelessly championing the book and getting it into the right hands. Shenanigans with you guys are better than a thousand Lil Jon concerts.

Writing can be a lonely, underestimated, and often haphazard profession. I’m lucky to be surrounded by friends who not only empathize but comfort and cheer. Beth, Jess, and Andrea, you are my forever sisters/elementals. Margie, Mel, Kami, Tahereh, Ransom, Leigh, and Josie—that is a lot of awesome in one sentence. Jess Brody, Morgan, Jess Khoury, Brodi, Jen Bosworth, Jenn Johansen, and Emmy, long live the mighty Steamboat 8. Amie, I crave your awesomeness like I crave cake. Which is all the time.

Finally, I cannot be a happy person without my daily support system. Thank you, friends, fam, Mom and Andre. And thanks, Primo. I still feel weird calling you my husband. Good-weird. Really good-weird. Love you.