And We're Off

by Dana Schwartz

  PERHAPS I SHOULD ALSO LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN PURCHASED BY A COLLECTOR WITH A SERIOUS EYE, FOR A CONSIDERABLE SUM. I’VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF DEPOSITING YOUR PERCENTAGE INTO YOUR COLLEGE SAVINGS ACCOUNT, AND THEN TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF DEPOSITING MY PERCENTAGE INTO YOUR COLLEGE SAVINGS ACCOUNT. AFTER ALL, AS ANYONE WHO SAW THE EXHIBITION WOULD ATTEST, IT IS TRULY YOUR UNIQUE STYLE THAT MAKES THE PIECE.

  AS FOR YOUR FINAL ASSIGNMENT: SEE LONDON. ENJOY THE CITY. TAKE THE ENCLOSED NOTEBOOK AND FILL IT AS YOU SEE FIT. I RECOMMEND THE WALLACE GALLERY AND THE TATE MODERN. SKETCH EVERYTHING YOU SEE AND EVERYTHING YOU DREAM. YOU ARE AN ARIST, MY DARLING, AND THE WORLD DESERVES TO SEE HOW YOU SEE THE WORLD.

  BECOMING AN ARTIST IS A RECKLESS ACT OF INSANITY. BUT, IF I MAY QUOTE A PLAY THAT I THINK MIGHT BE A FAVORITE OF YOURS, “THOUGH THIS BE MADNESS, / YET THERE IS METHOD IN’T.”

  LEARN THE METHODS, AND THEN ENJOY THE MADNESS.

  I LOVE YOU.

  —RP

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you so much to Marissa Grossman, Ben Schrank, and the entire team at Razorbill for their faith in me and for the vision for this book that allowed it to become a reality.

  I couldn’t have done this without my agent, Dan Mandel, who believed in me when I was an overeager, under-prepared college kid, and who has been with me every step of the way—through panicked phone calls and panicked e-mails.

  To Drew and Vinnie at the Observer for all of their help and support while I was holding a job and also trying to make a book.

  To Maddi, because I couldn’t have had a better traveling companion when I went on my trip to Europe.

  To Rory, Claire, Cameron, and Jono for letting me use the gang, a little bit, in this book.

  To the girls in the dressing room during the 2015 Brown University production of Sweeney Todd, who believed I could be a success before anyone else, and to whom I promised a dedication in my first book.

  To Matt, for being there for me.

  And to Mom, Dad, Zach, Caroline, and Hallie. I love you so much, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for all of the support I get from you. The only reason I’m able to write books in New York is because I know I have a safe place to fall.

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