The Big Day, Sparkle Dust, and Gratitude

Today, my debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, hits the bookshelves. I've been imagining this day for more than a year; you would think it would easier for me to believe it’s really happening, but I find myself rather stunned.

Part of me is still the writer in the corner table at the local coffee shop, headphones stuffed in my ears, frantically typing away during the 2.25 hours in which my youngest was in preschool. The writer who stayed awake many, many nights, staring at the ceiling and wondering, how do you get published? Will it ever happen? What’s the magic to it? Is there a wand somewhere? Sparkle dust? How do you do this?

I can answer those questions now. I don’t think any of you will be surprised to hear that hard work--and tons of revision—is a major part of it. But the part that’s clearer to me everyday is this: people.

A book is written by one person who is supported and encouraged by many. Here, friends, are my supporters…. The sparkle dust that made this happen… along with my thanks.

Editor, HarperCollins Crew, Agent, Mentors & Writing Friends: Thank you for your time. Thank you for your thoughtful critiques and words of encouragement. Thank you for your belief in me and UNDER THE NEVER SKY. Thank you for picking me up when I needed it. Thank you for making me look far better than I would have without you. And thank you for sharing this journey with me. When I turn the pages of NEVER SKY, I see you: your comments and reactions, and all the thousand ways you helped to shape it. Thank you.

Family & Friends: Thank you for supporting me on this impractical, time-consuming, reclusive obsession of mine. Thanks for being patient when I disappear into the writing cave, and for pulling me out of there from time to time. Thank you for putting up with me this year (which has been a little stressful and harried, in spite of all the good fortune I've had.) Most of all, thank you for being the point. I am lucky to do what I do, but my life is about you. What matters are the birthday parties and school plays and impromptu dinners and the football games in the court and walks to Starbucks. You make my life rich, and I'm so grateful for every one of you.

Bloggers & Readers: You. Guys. Are. Awesome. Many of you have read UNDER THE NEVER SKY and loved it. Thank you for sharing your enjoyment with me; this so much fun because of you, and so very rewarding. To those who read it and didn't love it, I thank you for giving it a try. I did my best, I promise, to entertain you. If you're a potential reader, I do hope you fall in love just a little bit. If you do, I’d love to know about it.

I want to thank the YA Muses in particular for this week’s UNDER THE NEVER SKY celebration. You guys are wonderful.

In closing—though it’s probably rather clear by now—I want to say that I’m grateful. Really, really grateful for this day, and this accomplishment. Thank you for sharing it with me.

Happy New Year!