Lie Still (45 page)

The three G’s: Gina, Geoffrey, and Gillian McPhail. Especially the uber-talented Geoffrey, an eighteen-year-old dreamer and actor, for providing video expertise and the occasional dramatic reading.

Taylor Stevens, for her generosity, hopefulness, and love of bacon.

Laura DiCaro, a small-town Texas girl like me who can have just as much fun when things go awry as when they go right. Because it’s all about laughing. Letty is for you.

My New Yorker best buds, who put me up, and put up with me: Deb von Glahn and Susan Stark. (Also, P. R. Stark for giving my characters midnight legal advice.)

Carla Buckley, author pal who keeps me sane, and Maddee James, a sweetheart who designs beautiful things out of air (including my website).

Jill Johnson and Dave Hogerty, photographers extraordinaire, for being there with a camera whenever I need it.

Every single reader and blogger who bothers to email, or post, or stop me in person to say something nice. Every enthusiastic librarian I’ve met, especially the ones with tattoos. The kind, supportive women in my own book club for ripping into “literary” bestsellers, but never into me.

My favorite guys: husband, Steve, for paying the bills, and for never asking, “What have you done all day?” And son, Sam, for his blunt writing advice, and for always asking: “When do we get a royalty check?”

And, finally: the entire team at Random House, including but not limited to: Jane von Mehren, Gina Wachtel, Libby McGuire, Loren Noveck, Pam Feinstein, Rachel Kind, Jennifer Backe, Angela McNally, Victoria Wong, Karin Batten, Susan Corcoran, Alison Masciovecchio, Leigh Marchant, Maggie Oberrender, Randall Klein, Beverly Leung, Eileen Carey, Kent Mathews, Beck Stvan, and Marie Killen. And a special bouquet of gratefulness goes to the enthusiastic and dedicated sales force that has worked so hard on my behalf.