This Side of Salvation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I journeyed more deeply into the Writing Cave with this book than any before, so first thanks go to my friends, family, and readers who waited patiently for me to emerge.

Beta readers abounded! I would’ve been lost without feedback from Amy Oelkers, Cecilia Ready, Lindsay Ribar, Erin Schultz, Rob Staeger, Jennifer Strand, and Matt Youngbauer. Extra kudos to those who read multiple drafts: Karen Alderman, Stephanie Kuehnert, and Frankie Diane Mallis. Thanks to TSgt. Mark Garton, USAF (ret.), for help with Air Force matters. Any remaining errors are totally mine.

I’ve never thanked a novel in a novel before, but after reading David Levithan’s Every Day, I jotted this in my journal: “Note to self: write this book with all your heart. Write it to make people feel the way you felt after reading Every Day. Write it with beauty and compassion and empathy. Don’t hold back. Feel. Love.”

To the amazing YA authors at our desert writing retreat who shared their wisdom or just listened to me angst over my new endeavor: Kelley Armstrong, Holly Black, Kimberly Derting, Nancy Holder, Sophie Jordan, Alma Katsu, Stephanie Kuehnert, Melissa Marr, Sarah Rees Brennan, Beth Revis, Carrie Ryan, and Rachel Vincent.

To the Simon Pulse team for saying a hearty “Yes!” to something new and different: Bethany Buck, Mara Anastas, Katherine Devendorf, Anna McKean, Paul Crichton, Lucille Rettino, Carolyn Swerdloff, Stephanie Evans-Biggins, Jeannie Ng, and [Proofreader TK].

To my visionary agent Ginger, for replying to my text on May 20, 2011 (Harold Camping’s predicted Rapture date)—“Calling dibs on teen novel abt kid whose parents make him ditch his friends/gf & blow off homework to get ready for the Rapture, which never comes”—with “Ok! Call that dibs on Twitter, and it’s official.” It wasn’t, of course, until a few months later, which brings me to . . .

To Annette Pollert, who believed my crazy idea would work! I’m deeply grateful to her for giving me the kind of creative freedom and trust most authors only dream of.

Always, always, always . . . biggest thanks to my husband, Christian Ready, for his love and patience; and for reminding me that every manuscript is always “the worst book ever,” until one day it isn’t.