ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to my wonderful agent Laura Langlie and insightful, enthusiastic editor Kate Miciak, and to everyone at Bantam Dell who helped bring this book to life.

Thanks to everyone who read and commented on all or portions of the manuscript: Jessica Grant Bundschuh, Nicole Moore, Becca Bryer-Charette, Danny Arsenault, Megan Gregory, Sara Jones, Cari Strand, Jacob Vaccaro, Leigh Anne Keichline, Arn Albertini, Mason Rabinowitz, and Rachel Schmidt.

I’m also grateful for the support and kindness of the following people: Jane Rastelli, Richard Arsenault, Luke Arsenault, Cyndi Arsenault, Lynella Grant, Kgopoloeng Chabaesele, Lawrence Baepile, and Emily MacFadyen. And reaching a few years back—thanks, Alan Chute.

Many thanks to the lexicographers with whom I was once honored to work—truly a more interesting and eloquent bunch than the one imagined here. Also, apologies for the small liberties taken with the lexicographical process.

And of course, to my dear husband, Ross Grant—thanks for everything you are and everything you believe I can be.