by Tara Sim
Tristina Wright: your excitement and support mean the world to me. You’re such a wonderful human being. Also, you named your cat after one of my characters, and that is a bond that can never be broken. Mackenzi Lee: thank you for just being one of the coolest people I know. I’m so glad we bonded over mechanical arms.
To the Bay Area/NorCal authors: Stacey Lee, Stephanie Garber, Evelyn Skye, Sabaa Tahir, Sonya Mukherjee, Jessica Taylor, and Rahul Kanakia. You guys are so much fun. Thank you for welcoming me into this incredible circle.
To the Pitch Wars group (you know who you are): you are the best. What would I do without you?
To the booksellers, bloggers, librarians, and readers: I just want to shower you with love. Special thanks to Nicole at YA Interrobang, Allison at Old Firehouse Books, and Stefani Sloma at Caught Read Handed.
Becky Albertalli, Tabitha Martin, Michael Waters, Camryn Garrett, Katherine Locke, Shveta Thakrar, Tehlor Kinney, Sunil Patel, and Cindy Pon: you guys are super awesome. Just so you know.
To Olivia Berrier (who convinced me to keep writing when I thought I couldn’t anymore), Jamie Lynn Saunders (who allowed me to find the inspiration for this story), and the rest of B3: you are stars. There are not enough words to explain how much you guys mean to me. To Alys Sink: the best London roommate a girl could ask for. Thanks for not killing me in my sleep. To the Hollins community: the closest I can come to expressing my adulation is screaming at the top of my lungs, so consider this my war cry of love.
To Ellen Gavazza (oh em gee bffs 4 lief), Carrie Gratiot (sushi and latte buddy), and Amber von Nagel (night cheese warrior): my life is so much brighter with you three in it. Never leave me.
Huge thanks to my family, who has always supported me no matter what. Special thanks to the Sekhons and the Gills.
To tea, without which I would likely be dead.
To Beka, my furry problem child.
And last but not least, to my parents, Harjit and Steve Sim. Thank you for everything you’ve done to get me this far, and for always believing I would get here.
