I also have to thank my team at Virago, especially Ursula Doyle, who was so fantastic. Her edits of my language and sentence structure were truly brilliant, and she has an uncanny knack for changing just one word in a sentence and making it funnier, lighter, and more subtle.
My book found a great home at Vintage. Everyone has been so tremendously kind and welcoming, but I especially have to thank Jenny Jackson, my brilliant, brilliant editor, who had great instincts about this book and knew exactly what it needed. Jenny has such an innate sense of structure, pacing, and timing; she immeasurably improved Penelope. Plus, she’s so incredibly funny herself. I knew if I made her laugh I was on to something.
I would like to thank my friends, many of whom have kindly regaled me with stories of their own wacky college experiences. Thank you so much for being there for me every step of the way. What would I do without all of you in my life? And thank you, Harvard, for giving me a truly great education.
Finally, my entire family has been amazing throughout. I would especially like to thank my mother, the best anyone could have, who even let me borrow her friend Liz’s name for my own purposes; my siblings, William and Allison, for their incredible support and excellent dance skills; my father, for his kindness and encouragement; and my grandparents, without whom nothing would be possible.
Penelope Page 28
