I do not know where I will go. I do not know what will happen next or how I will survive. But I do know that wherever I go and whatever happens, I will meet it with both eyes open.
Because now not only am I the performer, I am the director and the maestro of my own life. And though I may spend the rest of that life cherishing the memories of what I have lost here, I won’t let my past stop me from living.
I take one last look at the city that raised me. Imprisoned me. Set me free.
And then I am gone.
Disappeared.
Forgotten.
* * *
Acknowledgments
I would never have made it to “the end” if it weren’t for a whole lot of amazing people. So buckle up, friends, because I couldn’t possibly let this book hit the shelves without shouting to the world about the following rock stars.
First off, Jon. This book simply would not exist without you. Thank you for being the man who inspired Emeric, the real-life boy who loves me always in spite of the madness within. I can never express my gratitude enough.
Next, Mom and Dad. You fostered in me a love of literature from the day I was born. Thank you for reading my childhood stories about princesses and sandwiches and assuring me they were genius. For never telling me how mediocre my poetry was in high school. For cheering me on through my decade of writing books that couldn’t get me an agent, reassuring me that one day one would. You are the best parents I could have ever asked for, and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be just like you.
To Carter, Derek, and Emily. Thanks to all three of you for being my best friends since day one. For supporting me through the setbacks and celebrating with me through my successes. I couldn’t have asked for better siblings. And to Hannah Johnson—thanks for the amazing website! It’s even better than I hoped!
To Kim Chance and Megan LaCroix. You changed my life. Thank you for loving Isda’s story even when it was a total mess. I’m seriously still pinching myself that I have you both as friends. Here’s to more manuscript-swapping and video-chatting and all the shenanigans in the world. You’re stuck with me now.
To Brenda Drake and the entire Pitch Wars team. Thank you for creating a space that helps so many writers like me find a place.
To Christa Heschke. I don’t think I could have found a better agent to represent me or Isda’s story. Thank you for plucking me out of your slush pile and making my dreams come true. And to Daniele Hunter. I seriously lucked out that I got you along with Christa. Thank you for your editorial insights, for keeping things running, and for laughing at my not-as-funny-as-I-wish-they-were jokes on Insta. You rock.
To Lauren Smulski, who read my book and loved it enough to make my publishing dreams a reality. Thanks for taking a chance on me.
To Connolly Bottum. You pushed me to make this book its absolute best, and I will be forever grateful for the hours and hours you’ve spent on Emeric and Isda with me. I don’t think I could have found a better editor to work with if I’d tried. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
To Bess Braswell and the rest of the Inkyard team: Thank you for believing in Isda’s story and in my ability to tell it. There aren’t words to express my gratitude for all the work and all the time everyone has spent on me and my little book.
To Jessica Froberg. Thanks for not thinking I was too weird when I slipped into your Twitter DMs and demanded you be friends with me. You’re the world’s best friend and CP, and I wouldn’t be here (at least not sane) without you.
To the Westsiders SCBWI critique group: Kelly LaFarge, Karen Ekstrom, Christine Kohler, Carl Watson, Sharon Van Zandt, and Chris Perry. Thank you for all of the advice, critique, and support. Y’all are the best!
To Tina Chan, for reading the embarrassing first draft of this book and giving me such insightful advice. To Mara Rutherford and Neicole Crepeau, who gave me query and chapter critiques in preparation for Pitch Wars—you both helped in more ways than you know! And to Adalyn Grace, who gave me feedback that sparked many of the ideas I incorporated into my Pitch Wars revision. You are a queen.
To my Pitch Wars buddies who let me into their DMs to share in all the wildness of this ride: Erin Bledsoe, Tiffany Liu, Lorelei Savaryn, Summer Rachel Short, Ava Reid, and Mindy Thompson. I couldn’t have done it without y’all to vent to and celebrate with! And to Jess Elle, whose support via Marco Polo saved my sanity more times than I could ever count.
To all of the teachers who fostered my creativity during my childhood, especially Christine Coppinger Flatt, who took a particular interest in my writing. Teachers deserve so much more than an acknowledgment in the back of a book.
To my three munchkins. You make all of this worth it. I love you more than reading, more than writing, and more than Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I hope that when you see me working on my stories, you know you can do anything you set your heart to. If you never read any of my books, please remember this: magic is real, and the love you show for others can change the world.
And, finally, to my readers. Thank you for giving up hours of your lives and space in your hearts for my characters and their stories. None of this would be possible without you.
ISBN-13: 9781488076237
Sing Me Forgotten
Copyright © 2021 by Jessica Olson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
For questions and comments about the quality of this book, please contact us at [email protected].
Inkyard Press
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www.InkyardPress.com
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