Touching The Surface Part 25

To my agent, Mich.e.l.le Wolfson, and my editor, Anica Rissia"before I started the search for agent and editor, I thought very carefully about what I truly wanted out of those two relations.h.i.+ps. I believe in the power of intentionsa"the magic of words let loose into the universe. Looking inside myself, I realized that what I wanted more than anything in the world were two people I could be myself with. I repeated that wish over and over until you came into my life. Mich.e.l.le and Anica, you are everything I ever dreamed of and more than I could've imagined. Together, we make a bigger version of what we already are. This is our book.

My deepest thanks to everyone at Simon Pulse who took Surface under their wing and helped it to fly. Especially Bethany Buck, Mara Anastas, Jessica Handelman, Katherine Devendorf, Michael Strother, Guillian Helm, Jen Klonsky, Carolyn Swerdloff, and Virginia Herrick. This newbie-goober is indebted to you. I must also give a howl to Mich.e.l.le Wolfson's Wolf Pack. My thanks to Tawna Fenske, Linda Grimes, and Kiersten White for the warm welcome; Monica Bustamante-Wagner for being a new pup with me; and Kasie West, Daisy Whitney, and Alyssa Schwartz for giving me someone to haze. Once you go Pack . . . you never go back.

Thanks to Laurie Halse Anderson for being the very first person to ever treat me like a writera"it made all the difference. And to K. L. (Kelly) Going, my "Writer Mama"a"you encouraged me to tell the world. I hope I've made you proud. Thank you for believing in me.

Thank you to Heather McElduff for the author luncheon and the driveway. It was pivotal. Much appreciation goes to Chris Shave for sitting next to me at my first conference. I might have left if you hadn't. And much love to the rest of C'RAPa"Children's 'Riters Always Procrastinatea"especially Linda Hanlon, Mich.e.l.le Mead, Dean Pacchiana, and Roxanne Werner. I'm also grateful to everyone who's been such a big part of my life through my local Shop Talk and SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers & Ill.u.s.trators) Eastern NY. You have all become such wonderful friends. Additionally, I must give a shout-out to everyone at SCBWI Eastern PA for making me an "honorary" Pennsylvanian.

I would also like to give hugs to all those friends and beta readers who have given me feedback and support. The whole crew of District 14, Rachel Houston, Jessie Harrell, Haley Burns, Lindsay Pologe, Alicia Rowell, Erin Sine, Phyllis Garella, Lisa Koosis, Amber Klemann, Susan Sanchez, and Ida Pearce. And to my Crittersa"Megan Gilpin, Mindy Weiss, and Jodi Moorea"I don't know what I'd do without you. You've taught me so much. I adore you. And it must be said: Jodi, thank you for sitting in the golf bag holder with me.

To everyone at Blodgett Memorial Librarya"it has meant so much to me that you've been cheering me on from the moment I began to write. And to Merritt Bookstore and Oblong Books & Music, my local independent bookstores, you made me a part of your communities long before I had a book to put on your shelves. To my girls at Workshop and everyone at Yanarellaa"dancing with you makes me a better writer. Cheers and hugs to Taylor Longenberger and Rebecca Britt, future authors who are teaching me how to be a mentor. And to Amy Miccio, boy-watcher extraordinaire, you are important to me. I also have to thank the SCBWI, Verla Kay and her Blue Boards, the gang at YA Lit Chat, and everyone in the Apocalypsies and the Cla.s.s of 2k12. Being a part of this tribe has made all the difference. You guys are a bucketful of awesome. And to my homeopath and friend, Melissa Sgroi, my safe place to falla"I'm thinking of you. And I also must thank Dawn Turcy Sela of Dawn Sela Photography for my beautiful author photos. I love that two small-town girls, working as cas.h.i.+ers at the Grand Union, have found themselves in their art.

I would like to thank my familya"which is a whole lot of people. If you are, or ever have been, a Urbanak, Stanulwich, or Sabatini, then you know how much I love you. A special Kimmiepoppins thank-you to Lorayne Pulcastro for giving me Trevor's waterwheel. To Joanne Sabatini, the Lanes, and the Pierantozzi family for being my personal fan club. I want to thank my brother, Terry Stanulwich, for saying that he's proud of me. It means everything to have the admiration of someone I adore. I'd also like to thank my mom, Jean Stanulwich. You taught me everything I need to know about being strong. And just so you knowa"every little note in my lunch box mattered.

And finally, I must give my love and thanks to the four men in my life who are stuck living with me. I know it isn't easya"partially because I'm a writer and partially because I'm just me. First, my thanks to my three smart, amazing, and talented boysa"Jamison, Ty, and Aidan. I forget to do your laundry, I "cook" takeout more than I should, and I'm often scatterbrained, grouchy, and late . . . but I always have time to read to you. I love you more than anythinga"even this book. Never let anyone (even me) tell you who or what you're going to be . . . you get to choose. And last, but never least, I'd like to thank my husband, John, who has always been my biggest fan. I'm your biggest fan too. I can't do the hard times without you, and the good stuff isn't real unless I've shared it with you. I love you.

KIMBERLY SABATINI is a former special education teacher who is now a full-time mom and a part-time dance instructor. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband and three sons. Touching the Surface is her first novel. Find out more at KIMBERLYSABATINI.COM.

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