We All Love the Beautiful Girls

by Joanne Proulx

  My agent, Samantha Haywood, and my editor, Nicole Winstanley: for keeping the faith, for pushing for more, for seeing this work so finely into the world. Jennifer Griffiths: my heart lifted the first time I saw your cover. Emma Ingram and Deborah Sun de la Cruz: for all you have done for the novel.

  My Bennington family: Victoria Whitaker Clausi and Dawn Dayton: for wrangling me across the border. Esteemed teachers Rachel Pastan, Bret Anthony Johnston, Jill McCorkle, and soul sister Lynne Sharon Schwartz. The entire class of June 2014: our time at Bennington was both beautiful and insane. My tennis partners, Keith, Tara, Bridget, Major, Susan, Rachel, and Phillip Lopez. Every workshop buddy, dance partner, pool player, and late night end-of-the-world drifter. I loved it all.

  For the pages: Corina Zappia, Bridget Sampson. For Finn: Libby Flores, Simon Proulx. For Michael: Keith Lesmeister, Martin Proulx. For Mia, sanctuary in New York, and letting me rip off your haiku: Jennifer Miller. For the whole damn thing: Jay Hodges (!), Denton Loving (!), Erin Kate Ryan (!). You lifted me higher.

  The gracious and gifted poets Cassie Pruyn, Emily Mohn-Slate, Jennifer Miller: for welcoming this lowly prose writer into your hallowed circle.

  My Algonquin students: for believing in love and teaching me about life and writing.

  Madeline Hennessey: for the sex talk. Ash Nayler and Jayne Guertin Schlott: for the photography lessons. Chantal Proulx: for the medical bits. Patrick Boyle: for the playlist. Jana Gannon: for the day off in Malibu. Jodi Anderson: for the laughs at the water cooler. Walter Robinson: for the joke. Steve Ellis: for the story. Tami Galili Ellis: for the artful conversations. Bob Lloyd: for dealing with the mice, warning me about the bears, and Dawn Lloyd, for sending over the flower. Gord Walker: for digging me out and letting me steal your power. Stephane Delillo and Carrie-Lee Brown: for keeping in touch and the weeks in Paris. Chris Burke and Charles Bristow: best Zen cop, bad cop, finance whiz team ever? Jaqui Cadieux: for the yoga lessons, and the gifts of food and friendship. You helped see me through.

  Simon, Sophia, Elise. Cody, Brady, Behn: a prouder mother you will not find.

  Martin: Gawd. Sorry. You took the brunt of this one. I owe you life, my darling.

  My parents, Mary and Mike Vasiga: one day I hope to write a story worthy of the love you have shown me.