I want to thank my husband, first and foremost, for his unflinching good mood and his willingness to run out and get me the good coffee anytime I asked. I love you so much and I’m so proud of the chance we took and the life we’re building in our new city.
I also want to thank the readers of Luckiest Girl Alive, who have reached out to me over the last three years to share experiences so sadly similar to mine. I kept a secret for so long—out of fear, out of shame, out of conditioning—that I never knew the power of the shared experience. I am stronger because of you, so thank you. I hope you are stronger because of me too.
Thank you to my literary agent, Alyssa Reuben, for fielding countless panicked calls from me over the course of the last year and for always remaining calm, encouraging, and compassionate. You had a vision for my career before I had it for myself, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Thank you to my editor, Marysue Rucci, for never hesitating to tell me when something is not working so that I can believe you when you tell me something is working, for your patience, your enthusiasm, and the well-timed martinis.
Thank you to the team at Simon & Schuster: Amanda Lang, Richard Rhorer, and Elizabeth Breeden, for your dedication to getting this book out there and into the world. To Jon Karp for throwing your support behind both my babies the way you have, and to Zack Knoll, who I don’t think I’m related to but ya never know, who is on top of things at all times like some kind of warrior-ninja.
Thank you to Michelle Weiner and Joe Mann at CAA for showing me the ropes in L.A. and for working tirelessly to give my books a second life and my writing career another dimension. And thank you, Kate Childs, rock-star addition to the team at CAA.
Thank you, Alice Gammill, world’s best assistant, who is also a talented writer and will probably be in a position to give me a job one day.
Cait Hoyt, just thank you.
Mom and Dad, thank you for seeing the creative spark in me from day one, for raising me with a strong work ethic, and teaching me to value my ambition, without which I never would have been able to bridge the gap between talent and career.
Thank you to Katy Burgess and Brady Cunningham at Wall for Apricots, interior designers extraordinaire, for creating a boss office space for me in my new L.A. home.
This was a hard year. But it would have been a lot harder had I not been under the care of my wonderful therapist, Dr. Debbie Magids, and renegade dietician, Elyse Resch. Debbie first: I was in a lot of pain before I found you, and I know the healing process is a long one, but thank you for helping me find the start of the path. Elyse, thank you for helping me to heal my relationship with food and for teaching me that I am worth more than my weight—a radical notion for a woman.
Lastly, thank you to the volunteers behind the Southern California Bulldog Rescue. Without you, I wouldn’t have my beloved Beatrice, who snored by my side while I slaved away at my laptop. Her sweet, mushy face and oinking sounds made me laugh on days I didn’t think it possible. My heart is bigger and my days are brighter for all the work you do.