Dangerous Neighbors: Some Words of Thanks to You and to Laura Geringer

How can I thank all of you who have stopped by this blog these past few days, turning my own private party into an actual, peopled party? Those of you participating in the House of Dance paperback contest. Those of you who share my joy regarding the designation of The Heart is Not a Size on the Indiebound list. Those of you who were there with me, when Dangerous Neighbors entered this house as ARCs. I have often pictured us together in a room, and that is one of the many, many reasons I'm looking forward to the upcoming Book Blogger Convention. At long last, I'll get to meet so many of you. I'll get to say thank you in person.

Books, too, give us a chance to leave a permanent record of our gratitude. I love the look of the interior pages of Dangerous Neighbors because they are just so classy and era appropriate. But I especially love the dedication page, which is illustrated above. I dedicated Dangerous Neighbors to Laura Geringer, the editor who first invited me to write for the young adult audience. Who talked with me for a year before I had the courage to try. Who read my YA books, in succession, not just once or twice or even three times, but until they were as right as I knew how to make them. And who opened the door for me with Dangerous Neighbors by taking it as her first book to Egmont USA.

For Laura Geringer. Because.

Because I would not be writing young adult novels without her. Because I would not be taking my characters as far as I have without her. Because she has so radically changed my writing life.

Because she has, in all those ways, introduced me to all of you.