Hand Me Down (33 page)

I want to thank my agent, Trena Keating, for believing in me and this book wholeheartedly from the start, and for her expertise, patience, and enthusiasm each step of the way. I lucked out when you agreed to represent me. I also want to thank the tremendously talented Denise Roy, for helping to make this book the best it could be and being an absolute joy to work with. I knew after our first call we would be a great team. I could not have asked for a better editor.

I’m indebted to Pam Houston for suggesting I apply to graduate creative writing programs and essentially altering the course of my life, and for shaping me into a better writer by being one of the best teachers I know. Thank you for inspiring me with your writing and your kind words about mine.

Thanks to John Lescroart, whose generosity, support, and praise changed the way I saw my future, and gave me hope that a career as a writer might be possible; and to my writing teachers at UC Davis, particularly Lynn Freed and Fenton Johnson.

I owe so much to my fellow fiction workshoppers at UC Davis, who read the earliest pages of this novel and also became friends: Carola Strassburg Valdez, Ben Kamper, Krista Keyes, Melinda
Moustakis, Aimee Whitenack, and especially Liz Chamberlin, Adam Scott, Reema Rajbanshi, and Juli Case, who continue to read my work, nudge me to keep at it, and help me with writing (and life) dilemmas. I would not have made it this far without you guys cheering me on.

A special thank you goes out to Susan Scott, my self-proclaimed number one fan, for her unwavering faith that I would publish this book, and for her encouragement, friendship, and fantastic sense of humor. To all my friends, students, and colleagues who expressed interest in this project before it was finished: thank you for motivating me with your contagious excitement.

Words can’t fully express my gratitude to my family: Bethany, Joshua, Bonnie, Nancy, and my mom, Sue, for listening, putting up with me, making me laugh, and above all else, loving me no matter what.

And, most importantly, Will. Thank you for reading scenes over and over, cooking delicious food, keeping me sane, understanding the writing life (and me), and all the other wonderful things you do. Thank you for your confidence in me, your endless support, and your love. None of this would be possible without you.

Melanie Thorne earned her MA in creative writing from the University of California, Davis, where she received the Alva Englund Fellowship. She was also awarded the Maurice Prize in fiction and a Hedgebrook residency. She lives in Northern California. Visit her online at
melaniethorne.com
.