A Midsummer's Nightmare

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, I have to thank my family. My parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins—you have all shown your support and confidence in me. Thank you so much for loving me and making Whitley’s loneliness a complete work of imagination.

Enormous gratitude also goes to the women who make my dreams come true. To Joanna Volpe, who loved this book way before I did—thank you, Jo, for your undying faith in me, even when I don’t always have faith in myself. And, as always, this book would not exist if it weren’t for Kate Sullivan, who loved Whitley at her worst and helped me find her best. You two never let me down.

Thanks also to Cindy Eagan, Lisa Sabater, Tracy Shaw, JoAnna Kremer, Stacy Abrams, and the team over at Little, Brown. You guys never cease to amaze me! Also, Nancy Coffey and Sara Kendall, who are, in general, fabulous.

Love and appreciation also go to my friends. There are too many of you to name here, but you know who you are. Special thanks go to Loretta Nyhan, Holly Bodger, Lee Bross, Amanda Hannah, Courtney Allison Moulton, and Amy Lukavics, who all helped shape this story in some way, or shaped me as a writer. I couldn’t do this without you all. And thanks, of course, to the girls at YA Highway. I love you guys so much.

And last—but never, ever least—thanks to my readers. You are the reason I write, the reason this job is my dream. Thank you for letting my characters into your hearts.