Charlotte Cuts It Out (34 page)

Acknowledgments

Heartfelt gratitude . . .

To my agent Sara Crowe and my editor Sharyn November for being my champions in turning this story into a book. Your guidance and expertise astound me. To the entire Viking team for making
Charlotte
your own, but especially Nancy Brennan and Eileen Savage for my amazing cover design.

To the inspiration behind ATC: Jackson Area Career Center (JACC) for offering options and career training to high school (and adult) students. Both of my daughters are working in their chosen professions because of the training they received there. Avery is now a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), and Sylvia is a cosmetologist. To the instructors Sylvia had in cos: Ms. Romanowski, who passed away while I was writing this book (Cancer sucks ass!); Ms. Taylor and (the real) Ms. Garrett, who both inspired my fictional Ms. Garrett character; Mr. Kinch, who inspired my Mr. Finn. Thanks for all you do! You enrich our community.

To early readers Lulu November and Tirzah Price. Lulu,
thank you for touching base with your aunt and for your insightful perspectives. Tirzah, you rock in so many ways, my dear. To continual supporters Ed Spicer, Ann Perrigo, Sally Kruger, and Katie Dersnah Mitchell. Thank you for being friends to book people everywhere. You don't just promote reading; you inspire generations.

To my friends who keep me sane, which is a long list because it takes a village. The entire VCFA community for their unwavering encouragement, especially Cori McCarthy, Amy Rose Capetta, LoriGoe Perez, Debbie Gonzales, Melanie Fishbane, and Tim Martin. The Binder community. The Michigan and Northern Ohio SCBWI chapters. My bestest friends Vicky Lorencen, Kristin Willcut, Brenda Sas, Barb Garner, and most of all, Pat Gallagher, who gave me the idea to call a bakery Patti Cakes, and her husband, John Wald, a fellow author.

To my family: my parents, Richard and Linda Rumler; my husband Larry; Alex, Paige, and Arthur; Max and Madalyn; Sylvia, Zack, Walter, and Winston; Avery and Iris; Paisley, Penny, Oliver, and Karen. My life would suck without you.

To subscription services that free my brain space from meal planning: Hello Fresh, Door to Door Organics, Graze, and Naturebox. And Birchbox, too. Thanks for enabling my hermit ways.

To readers, reviewers, bloggers, booksellers, librarians, and teachers who have read and recommended
45 Pounds
. Without you, there wouldn't be another book.

I love you all!

About the Author

K. A. BARSON
is also the author of
45 Pounds
(More or Less),
about which
VOYA
said: “This powerful and poignant novel is a book readers will not want to wait to finish, and when it is done, they will pick it up again.” She has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Kelly Barson and her husband live in Jackson, Michigan—the setting of both of her books—surrounded by their kids, grandkids, a pack of dogs, and one unexpected cat. She feels more like herself when her hair is purple, but it has also been pink, blue, orange, red, and many shades of brown.Visit her website at www.kabarson.com.

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