Giggling, she plays along. “Or You just don’t understand my vision.” Words don’t drip out of her mouth now. They flutter.
It’s a nice change.
I tell her that I’m going to miss her when I leave for UMass to study biology, and she says it in return. Here’s the kicker: we both mean it. That’s not to say that things are back to normal—but what is normal? We’re evolving, all the time.
The sky is a collage of bright colors, warm wind beating at my back as the boat gently rocks along the waves. It took a while, but I’ve taught Alexander to swim really well—and he, Reed, and Charlie glide up to us now, laughing and flicking water at our arms. The Hundreds opens for its first summer session tomorrow, and we’re squeezing in one last hurrah before camp begins. Alexander’s volunteered to teach drawing, and at the end of the summer, he’s joining me in Boston: attending Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and sketching on the side. The Fall and Rise of The Hundreds is now in its third volume . . . and I’m still kicking ass.
In September, Reed’s going back to UMaine to study forestry again, but now he’s busy flicking more and more water at us. “I thought we all were swimming.”
Alexander draws a wet finger across my arm. “You coming in?”
“Maaaybe.”
“Please do. Because I think my butterfly needs some work, and I fear that I may need the advice of an expert.”
Laughing, I strip down to my silver bathing suit and jump in. I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t think about it for an instant—what this water did to you, Dylan. How you should be with us now. But it helps that when I surface, there are people I love: Charlie and Reed kicking up water, Alexander smiling, and Fern midair, her arms like wings just before she enters the wild blue sea.
Acknowledgments
Writing Wild Blue Wonder technically took me a year, but this story was much longer in the making. I remember peering into Maine’s coastal tidal pools when I was really young. I remember being the new kid—standing at the edge of the lunchroom like Alexander. And I remember those first months after losing someone, how grief felt like an anchor. So I’d first like to thank everyone who has just read this book, for letting me share my story with you. Wild Blue Wonder is more “me” than I ever anticipated.
I am so lucky to have Claire Wilson of RCW as my literary agent. She offered profound, passionate feedback when I needed it most and believed in this novel from literally the first paragraph—a four-sentence pitch that she greeted with enthusiasm. I’ll always be grateful to you, Claire. Thank you also to Rosie Price, Miriam Tobin, and the lovely team at RCW, who have been remarkable.
To Jocelyn Davies and Rachel Petty—you are seriously the editorial dream team. Thank you for your brilliance, wisdom, and general delightfulness. I couldn’t even begin to imagine this journey without you. Wild Blue Wonder is stronger, richer, and more beautiful because of your insight and care. Everyone at HarperTeen and Macmillan UK: You are such wonderful people. Bea—thank you for escorting me around the UK, and giving me reading material on the train! Rachel Vale and Aurora Parlagreco—your cover designs are stunning. Thanks to artist Steph Baxter for the gorgeous US illustration.
Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know a supremely talented group of women. Thank you, UK lovelies, for your friendship. Rebecca Barrow, Rebecca Denton, Natalie C. Anderson, Ruth Lauren, Vic James, Kristina Perez, Lisa Lueddecke, Alice Broadway, and Akemi Dawn Bowman—our Whatsapp group has pulled me through some tough times, including the London heat wave of 2017, where I messaged you about writing with frozen corn stuffed down my sports bra. I hope you know how much I appreciate you all—because it’s a staggering amount.
Kayla Olson, Tanaz Bhathena, Helen Pain, and Anna Priemaza, you were such wondrous early readers. Cale Dietrich, thanks for letting me bounce ideas off you! Jen E. Smith, I can’t thank you enough for that generous quote, and for being an awesome UK tour partner; I learned so much from you. A big thank-you also goes to my sensitivity readers, for their time and insight.
Ellen! Thanks for lending me your “Locke” namesake for a rather cool donut shop, and for sending me text messages that I later add to books. You are the Hana to my Quinn. We’ve come a long way since Spencer dorm (but I still kind of hate Subarus?).
I had two friends in Maine who brightened my high school experience. Peter Thibault, I’m so glad you’re in my life; it sounds cheesy to say, but I’m really, really proud to know you. Garrett Bent, thank you for your enthusiasm about this project, and thanks to your cousin Joanna and her friend Raegan who visited the International Cryptozoology Museum for me.
Thank you to the fantastic McIntyre’s Books, and also to Main Street Books, Scuppernong Books, Park Road Books, and Queens Park Books for hosting me. To Grandma Pat, for her unwavering support of my writing. To my Phi Beta Chi sisters, who came out during my US tour—and especially the lovely Tiffany Nam for organizing. To Miss Kim for her kindness. And to all the book bloggers and readers who’ve been so immensely wonderful.
Alexander’s recipe book, Cooking and Baking the Greek Way by Anne Theoharous, is real—and so are the Post-it notes sticking out of it. For my wedding, my aunt Barbara and her mother, Mrs. Lambros, gave me such an incredible gift: those recipes, surrounded by handwritten insights. Thank you both for adopting me as an “honorary Greek.” Another book, The Book of Barely Imagined Beings by Caspar Henderson, also played a huge role in Wild Blue Wonder; most of the “monsters” referenced in The Sunshine Hypothesis come from this work. Any inaccuracies are firmly mine.
Bella and Duncan! You’re good kitties. That is all.
To my husband, Jago, for saving me from a wasted heart; you are my Alexander times a million. I’ll never laugh harder with anyone else. I’m over-the-moon happy that you chose me.
Dad, thanks for introducing me to Maine—in many, many ways, this book wouldn’t be this book without you. I almost wrote the bit about you hiding M&M’s in your closet, but I just stuck to scenes with breakfast food. Love you!
Mom, you know you’re my hero, right? The older I get, the more I realize just how truly strong you are. Thank you for being my life raft, my biggest cheerleader, and my first reader—now and always. Like Nana says: “Why magic but true? Why not magic and true?” You’ve proven to me that this world can be both.
And finally, Wild Blue Wonder is dedicated to my uncle Mike, a supremely talented engineer with a sharp wit, who saw boats as more than just “things” and loved as hard as anyone could. I hope you’re as proud of me as I was of you.
About the Author
CARLIE SOROSIAK is also the author of If Birds Fly Back. She grew up in North Carolina and holds two master’s degrees: one in English from Oxford University, and another in creative writing and publishing from City University London. Her life goals include traveling to all seven continents and fostering many polydactyl cats. Visit her online at www.carliesorosiak.com.
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Books by Carlie Sorosiak:
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Wild Blue Wonder
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Copyright
HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
WILD BLUE WONDER. Copyright © 2018 by Carlie Sorosiak. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form
or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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Cover art by Stephanie Baxter
Cover design by Aurora Parlagreco
* * *
Digital Edition JUNE 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-256401-6
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-256399-6
* * *
1819202122PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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