This Girl Is Different (20 page)

It turns out that being an author is a team sport. And boy do
I have an amazing team.

Thanks foremost to Noah and Sam, for your sustained
patience, silliness, and love. Thanks also to the rest of my family,
especially Juanita and Earl Johnson, and Lisa Wichman—
for your enthusiasm and careful readings—and to my Aussie
family, the Everetts. (Hey Max—thanks for protecting Sam from
all those fierce koalas so I could write. My shout, next time
we’re down under.)

Tremendous gratitude to my critique group: John Bemis,
Jennifer Harrod, and Stephen Messer. E. B. White wrote, “It’s not
often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a
good writer. Charlotte was both.” You are my Charlottes,
although non-arachnoid and hopefully much longer-lived.

Cheers to my agent, Ginger Knowlton, for constant kindness
and for being in my corner. Thanks to my editor, Kathy
Landwehr: smart, hilarious, and you make house calls? Doesn’t
get any better. Thanks also to Vicky Holifield and Jessica
Alexander for insightful and gentle editorial touches, and to Mo
Withee, Melanie McMahon Ives, and Loraine Joyner for a cover
and design Evie would love. A raised glass to the entire crew at
Peachtree Publishers for making this such a humane, delightful,
collaborative process. Viva la Peachtree!

Finally, heartfelt thanks to the L-Hs for Ruby love; the angels;
the TNS crew; and the rest of my dear friends—too many to
name here, but if you’re asking, “I wonder if that means me?” It
does. It means you.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2011 by J.J. Johnson

Cover design by Maureen Withee

ISBN 978-1-5040-2679-6

Peachtree Publishers
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Atlanta, Georgia 30318-2112
www.peachtree-online.com

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