Ghostlight (22 page)

Heartfelt gratitude goes to:

—Michelle Frey and the editorial team at Knopf, for helping me poke and prod
Ghostlight
into tip-top shape.

—Jennifer Laughran, for being a tireless advocate, story genius, and dear friend.

—Katrina Damkoehler, for the perfectly creepy cover design.

—Brandi Barnett, Kelly Bristow, Martha Bryant, Dee Dee Chumley, Mari Farthing, Kim Harrington, Shel Harrington, Lisa Marotta, Helen Newton, and Natalie Parker, for their friendship and story feedback.

—Bethany Hegedus, Sara Zarr, and all the participants in the 2013 Writing Barn workshop on “Emotional Pacing,” for helping me hone those critical first three chapters.

—Vicki Hill and Connie Peacher, for clarifying pertinent details regarding the Church of Christ.

—Dr. Lisa Marotta and Dr. Terry Peacher (hey, Dad!), for consulting on Julian Wayne's diagnosis.

—Marcia and J. Trekell, my mom and stepfather, for helping me remember the night sounds of Stewart County, Tennessee (the inspiration for Carver County).

—Ruby Peacher, my grandmother, for inspiring me with stories and photographs of the 1937 floods.

—Ernest, Heather, Jason, Dionne, York, Shelby, and Samantha—my siblings and nieces—for providing me with a lifetime of data on sibling dynamics. Big hugs to each of you!

—All my dear friends and family members who offered love and support. I'm so lucky to have you.

—My husband, Steve, for going above and beyond with this manuscript, giving feedback on multiple drafts—chapter-by-chapter, word-by-word. Thank you for supporting me from the moment I hatched this crazy plan to be a writer, and for growing more enthusiastic about my career with each new book. None of this could have happened without you, and I thank you for sharing this journey with me. I love you. Forever.

Sonia Gensler is the author of two young adult novels:
The Dark Between,
which
School Library Journal
called “vivid and intriguing,” and
The Revenant,
winner of the Oklahoma Book Award and a Parents' Choice Silver Award.

Sonia grew up in a small Tennessee town and spent her early adulthood collecting impractical degrees from various midwestern universities. A former high school English teacher, she now writes full-time in Oklahoma. You can find out more at
soniagensler.com
.