Swimming to Tokyo (31 page)

“Email mostly. Except your Babci. I called her a couple times. She’s the one who booked the place.”

Babci? He talked to Babci? “Really?”

“Yeah. She’s cool.”

I’ve never really seen the look on his face that he has right now. Not like this. Sort of self-satisfied. A little mischievous. A lot amused. He’s probably never seen the look on mine either. All awestruck.

I take a step closer to him, and his thumb caresses my back under my shirt. Everyone around us is talking and laughing, giving us a wide berth, not paying any attention. “Why did you do this for me?” My voice is low.

“Because.” His throat bobs as he swallows. “I’m not just the guy you spent one amazing summer with in Tokyo.”

“No.” It’s not a question, and I know he hears the difference.

“Although it was one amazing summer.” His eyes fix on mine. Black. Calm. Still like the water of a midnight lake.

“Amazing.” I take a deep breath. And dive in.

Heart first.

It’s
almost paralyzing sitting down to write the acknowledgements for my debut – afraid of forgetting someone and worried about writing words that will be powerful enough to convey my actual gratitude. There are SO MANY people who have helped this quivering mass of words become a book. So. Many.

I have to begin with the lovely ladies from Spencer Hill Press. Patricia Riley – your words and guidance have helped my manuscript become so much stronger. It is a true pleasure working with you, knowing my book is in such good hands! Marie Romero – thank you for all of your insight. Asja Parrish – I will be forever in awe of your line edits; and Cindy Thomas – thank you for helping me think “publicity” is something I might actually be capable of. Christa Holland – thank you for such a fabulous sexy cover. I want that girl’s bathing suit (and the figure to wear it, if that could be arranged?)!

To Marlene Stringer of Stringer Literary Agency who never gave up on this book. Thank you for continuing to shop it until it found its home.

To my critique partners, Lee Gjersten Malone and Jasmine Warga. You are my rocks in this crazy sea of writing. Thank you for all of your constructive feedback and endless support. You are both so giving of your time, your humor, yourselves and I truly thank whatever gods of writing have brought you into my life. (And if there are gods of writing, I’m pretty sure we collectively keep them appeased with wine and coffee.)

Although this is a work of fiction I did live in Tokyo for a couple of years, and the city and my experiences there provided some great memories from which to write. I loved being able to “revisit” Japan, even if only through words on the page. It was an amazing time in my life and I’m forever grateful to the people I knew there.

Finally to my most personal thanks, which are bound to get gushy – you’ve been warned. Thank you friends who have supported me in this journey by making me laugh, sharing my excitement, and providing words of encouragement along the way. I’ve been writing for a long time and thank you, especially, to those friends who read some of my earliest manuscripts and encouraged me to keep writing anyway. Maybe you knew I would always get here, but I did not.

And to my family – thank you Penny and Tina for your early reads and, Mom and Dad, for advance “selling” my book to everyone you speak to. To my own Babci, who died 20+ years ago – I hope I grow up to be half the woman you were.

To my husband – thank you for putting up with all of the nights I’m here but not, lost in the world on my laptop. And thank you for your never-ending belief that I could/would do this. I appreciate your support more than you know.

And to my son, who is annoyed that my book isn’t actually about swimming TO Tokyo – you have taught me everything I know about what it means to dive in heart first.

Finally to you, the reader, who’s here at the end – thank you for being part of this journey. It is a privilege to share my story with you.

I’m a displaced New Yorker living in the UK. I lived in London for nearly six years, but now I’m living in The North, in a tiny English village. There are sheep everywhere! Sheep!! (This is so strange to me I always have to say it twice. With multiple exclamation points.)

My novels are about teens and twenty-somethings. When I’m not reading or writing, I’m hanging out with The Boy, talking about really random things and being overly strict about television.

I like running and Doritos, not necessarily in that order. I also like libraries, old churches and Paris. One day I’m going to write a novel set in Paris, which will necessitate lots of trips for “research.”