Since You'Ve Been Gone

For Amalia

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Justin! They say only the good die young,
but only the best would be able to take a
400+ page manuscript, read it over a
weekend, come back with the most
wonderful notes—and repeat, four times.
You may be right; I may be crazy, but
THANK YOU for all your patience and
insight and amazing notes and humor—
and for never making me feel like I was
in the ninth, two men out and three men
on. I’m beyond grateful to you.
Thank you to Emily Van Beek,
superagent extraordinaire, who always
takes such good care of me.
Lucy Ruth Cummins is a genius.

Thank you so much for the most
gorgeous cover EVER and for letting me
feel such a part of the process. Ponies
Butterscotch and Snickerdoodle are on
their way. And thanks to Meredith Jenks
for the unbelievable photos!
Jessi Kirby, where would I (or this
book) be without you? Thank you so
much for your friendship, your kindness,
your encouragement, and for sharing
your lovely stretch of beach with authors
in need. I couldn’t have done this
without you.
I am lucky enough to be part of a
wonderful community of writers who
give me so much support and teach me
so much just by their awesome
examples. Thanks and hugs and cupcakes

to: Lauren Strasnick, Rosa Lin, Leslie
Margolis, Rachel Cohn, Jordan Roter,
Anne Heltzel, and Liz Werner. Thanks
also to Janet and Lee Batchler.
Thanks to Alexandra Cooper, for so
many things, and especially that very
first two-hour talk about this book, at a
Starbucks in Texas.
Thank you to the fantastic team at
S&S—Danielle Young, Anne Zafian,
Mary Marotta, Paul Crichton, Bernadette
Cruz, Chrissy Noh, Katy Hershberger,
Katrina Groover, and Venessa Carson. I
couldn’t be in better hands.
Thanks and love to my family—Mom,
Jason, Amanda, and Katie.
And thank you with all my heart to
Amalia Ellison—road trip companion,

partner in crime, travel buddy, best
friend.

Duncan
You have to trust me, here. We’re friends.
Cecily
I don’t think we are.
Real friends are the ones you can...