Drizzle (32 page)
Authors: Kathleen Van Cleve
I am Polly Peabody and I can make it drizzle.
Acknowledgments
If I were to write my superstar editor’s name—Kate Harrison—seven trillion times, it wouldn’t be enough acknowledging. Essentially, she whacked and shaped and honed my mountains and mountains of pages until this novel emerged. What’s more, she divined the spirit of my story even before I did. Anything good in this novel is because of Kate; all of its faults are mine.
Laura Dail is not only the agent of a writer’s dreams (although she is that), but she’s also my friend, and for that I am so grateful. Liz Van Doren is an inspiration, and a treasure, and not just because she was the first person to encourage me to write for children.
I studied Matt Ridley’s fascinating
Genome
and Richard Dawkins’s equally compelling
The Selfish Gene
in preparation for writing this novel. Middle school science teacher Dan Meiselman also thoughtfully gave of his time and expertise, as did molecular biologist Kristin Baldwin. Physics student and brilliant guy David Crisanti deserves special praise. He made me promise not to use his theory of polarized charges in fingers until I checked with an “expert.” I didn’t listen to him because I consider him an expert in most things, including but not limited to gardening, finance, Ibiza, and yes, polarized charges in fingers. Also, thanks are due to the wonderful Charlie Van Doren (“Big Charlie”), for telling me about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay
Self Reliance
. Finally, I would know little about rhubarb without the incredibly comprehensive website The Rhubarb Compendium (
www.rhubarbinfo.com
).
Genome
and Richard Dawkins’s equally compelling
The Selfish Gene
in preparation for writing this novel. Middle school science teacher Dan Meiselman also thoughtfully gave of his time and expertise, as did molecular biologist Kristin Baldwin. Physics student and brilliant guy David Crisanti deserves special praise. He made me promise not to use his theory of polarized charges in fingers until I checked with an “expert.” I didn’t listen to him because I consider him an expert in most things, including but not limited to gardening, finance, Ibiza, and yes, polarized charges in fingers. Also, thanks are due to the wonderful Charlie Van Doren (“Big Charlie”), for telling me about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay
Self Reliance
. Finally, I would know little about rhubarb without the incredibly comprehensive website The Rhubarb Compendium (
www.rhubarbinfo.com
).
I am so grateful to my adult readers: Danielle Ganek, Gerry Van Doren, Julie Cohen, Jamie Levitt, Malek Lewis, Diana Weymar, Dan Wigutow, and especially Alison Flaggert, who (thankfully) didn’t mince words with her first (wholly accurate) criticism.
My middle-grade readers are the kind of great kids who make one hopeful for the future.They are Eve LaBalme, Kate Horvat, Ella Van Cleve, Will Van Cleve, Charlotte Berl, Declan Smith, Amelia Smith, Mac McHugh, and Olivia Case.
Special Mention to my nephews: Christopher Reiche, Billy Van Cleve, and Charlie Van Doren, all of whom spent hours with me improving, scheming and developing Polly’s story. Sarah Weldon and Polly Weldon contributed the all-important element of spelling bugs, which propelled the book in a new and better direction. My sisters-in-law, Andi Van Cleve and Anne Van Cleve, read the book so many times, I’m sure they regretted that I married into their family. My sister-in-law Jennifer DeMarco, who read the book in one sitting, gave me insightful and important suggestions. My own sister and brother, Barbara and Mark DeMarco, had no choice but to read it over and over again. I couldn’t be more thankful for all of their help.
Jessica Carroll, Natalie Jordan, Peter Walters, Melinda DeCesare, and the great people at Germantown Friends Nursery Program not only took care of my children, but took care of me too.
My brother Anthony DeMarco, truth be told, didn’t read any drafts, but he’s a great brother and wants an acknowledgment, so here it is.
I continue to be awed by my mother Lucy DeMarco’s limitless love and support. My father, Mark DeMarco, was thrilled with the idea of
Drizzle
, and I know he’s up in heaven, hawking the story to St. Peter (and telling him that he might have written it just a little better).
Drizzle
, and I know he’s up in heaven, hawking the story to St. Peter (and telling him that he might have written it just a little better).
Finally, I acknowledge, with delight and love, my sons, Jackson and Emerson, and my husband, Emory Basford Van Cleve. I cherish them more than all the raindrops in the world.
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