Me You Us (27 page)

Like Lord Voldemort and his Horcruxes, I have left little pieces of my soul in each of my five books.
Me You Us
, in particular, was a true labor of love. But it is also the product of extraordinary teamwork, for which I am eternally grateful.

I would like to thank my mom, dad, and sister, Caryn, for being tireless cheerleaders, trusted advisors, and my all-time number-one fans. No three humans could ever be as tolerant or supportive. Your contributions to my life are boundless and unconditional, and inspire me each day. I could not have asked for better parents or a more devoted sister. I love you with all my heart.

My intrepid editor, Sara Sargent, would probably object to my use of the word “intrepid,” cross it out, and write:
something funnier?
In truth, she is a whip-smart dynamo who dedicated herself to this project, absorbed many body blows from yours truly, and dished out equal parts comfort and cudgel. First we were strangers. Then we were colleagues. And now we are the best of frenemies.

My agent, Peter McGuigan, is an indispensable part of my career. I can always count on him to dole out sage advice, drop the hammer at the negotiating table, or threaten to beat up unruly fans at my stand-up shows. I am fortunate to have him in my corner, and to have been on the receiving end of so much guidance and so many rounds of beer.

My attorney, Darren Trattner, is the most veteran member of Team Karo and has been calmly steering the ship for more than a decade. The hardest-working man in show business, he still makes time to offer counsel, share wisdom, and take digs at the Yankees. I am perpetually thankful for his diligence, empathy, and insight.

The entire Simon Pulse team has been like a second family, without which this book would certainly not exist. Special thanks to Liesa Abrams, Mara Anasta, Faye Bi, Nicole Ellul, Jessica Handelman, Kayley Hoffman, Mary Marotta, Sarah McCabe, Christina Pecorale, Lucille Rettino, Jennifer Romanello, Teresa Ronquillo, and Carolyn Swerdloff.

A huge thank-you to those who read the book while it was still in its infancy, and those who will continue to sing its praises long after publication: Greg Pedicin, Jeff Greenberg, Josh McGuire, Jessica Regel, Richie Kern, Karen Sherman, Stacey Sakal, Michelle Bontems, Lindsey Rosin, and Katrina Leno.

To my friends and family in New York and Los Angeles: Thank you for having my back all these years, through thick and thin. It means more than you know.

And lastly, to my fans across the country and around the world, thank you for continuing to help make my dreams come true. I promise I'll keep telling jokes as long as you keep laughing. I heart you all.

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

SIMON PULSE

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

www.SimonandSchuster.com

First Simon Pulse paperback edition June 2016

Text copyright © 2015 by Aaron Karo Cover illustration by Jessica Handelman

Cover illustration copyright © 2016 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Also available in a Simon Pulse hardcover edition.

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

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Cover designed by Jessica Handelman

Interior designed by Mike Rosamilia

The text of this book was set in Scala.

Library of Congress Control Number 2015933770

ISBN 978-1-4814-4063-9 (hc)

ISBN 978-1-4814-4064-6 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-4814-6877-0 (eBook)

This title was previously published as
Galgorithm
.