Expecting: A Novel (25 page)

Writing a book feels like the most solitary thing in the world, but it would have been impossible to do by myself.

Thank you to teachers and early readers and people who offered research and encouragement. Barbara Aron, Megan Pratt, Joe Dougherty, Tom and Betsy Hamilton, Brian Wilson Schouweiler, Daniel Jaffe, Barrie Jo Kirby, Ruth Mohanram, Dan Pyne, Seema Malhotra, Christina Friar, Michael Cassutt, Racelle Rosett, Jeff Kline, Ann Kramer Brodsky, Carol Starr Schneider, and Rebecca Harvill.

A special thank-you to Jillian Medoff for her friendship and patience and her excellent advice—so sit down and write a novel already.

Rich Green is more than an agent—we’ve known each other for years and this book would not be possible without him. Dan Lazar, agent extraordinaire who talked me off many a ledge. Onward! Every first-time novelist should be lucky to have an editor like Shana Drehs and the wonderful team at Sourcebooks.

My children, Max and Lucy, who think the best part of the book is the dedication.

And to John, who wears deck shoes but doesn’t tell dumb jokes like Alan. (Most of the time.)

Ann Lewis Hamilton has written for film and television. Her credits include
Grey’s Anatomy
, Stephen King’s
The Dead Zone
, and
thirtysomething,
among others. She lives in Los Angeles.

Expecting
is her first novel. Visit her website at:

www.AnnLewisHamilton.com
.