Nita, Kat, Tiffany, Brianna, Matt, Kyle, and I, meanwhile, are going to write a new chapter for the server training handbook with the help of Dahlia Brennan, and we’re also planning a “customer re-education” campaign for the restaurant. We’re going to use humor whenever possible—colorful and funny but pointed signage, a code of conduct, and so on. Dev is on board so long as we don’t shout at, soak, or otherwise harm the customers, and has already given me a glowing reference to use in the future.
Emma, Yaz, and I met with Nita to ask if there’s some way we could help regarding the racist graffiti, which has lessened further, but not stopped. (Catch them in the act and make them volunteer at the restaurant is one of Emma’s suggestions.) Nita’s going to talk to Dev and Maya and let us know whether they’re up for changing their strategy, and whether they want our help.
On the college front, I have declined five of my six (six!) college acceptances and accepted but deferred one. It’s my original first-choice school, and Emma is going there, and it also happens to have good social work, and psychology programs that I could switch to, if that’s what I decide to do after my gap year.
In my spare time, between studying for finals, serving tables, meeting with Dahlia for talk therapy, checking my rising bank balance, and helping my dad paint and work on his résumé, I am slowly kissing Noah, and researching the architectural wonders of the Mediterranean. And every day I’m working on the new me—the calm but relentless me; the me who stands up for herself without going off the deep end, and who knows how to think and say.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Huge thanks to my agent, Emmanuelle Morgen, who encouraged me to write this book. I am so grateful for our long partnership.
I could not have told this story without my extraordinary team of editors from Viking Children’s and Penguin Teen Canada. I had two fantastic editors at Viking—Kendra Levin for the bulk (and it was a bulk!) of the edits, and Dana Leydig for the final stages of editing and crucial process of getting the book into the world. Both pushed me to do my best work and helped me with their keen observations and attention to detail. Thank you.
Meanwhile at Penguin Teen Canada, the wonderful Lynne Missen saw this story through every stage, from that first rough manuscript and all the way through to publication, working hand-in-hand with my New York editors. Lynne is endlessly insightful and encouraging, and really helped shape this story. Thank you.
I would be remiss not to also mention Leila Sales, the editor of my previous book, who read the first manuscript of He Must Like You and made sure it was in good hands (Kendra’s) before she left Viking.
Massive props go to Theresa Evangelista for designing our fabulous cover, and to Sarah Herranz whose sketch of Libby is its sassy, furious centerpiece.
I’m fortunate to have the fantastic Kaitlin Kneafsey at Viking for my publicist, as well as Debra Polansky, Emily Romero, Janet Pascal, Marinda Valenti, and everyone else on the New York team from formatters to sales reps. In Toronto I’m in Sam Devotta’s extremely capable hands for publicity, and have had great in-house support from Tara Walker, Vikki VanSickle, Peter Phillips and Kelly Glover. Every one of these people is fantastic and I thank them, and their teams (again, in every department!), for their passion, savvy, and hard work.
Thank you also to everyone at my agency, Stonesong Literary, for your contributions and support, and to my wonderful foreign rights agent, Whitney Lee, at the Fielding Agency.
And now for the people who have helped me with research, and/or reading and giving feedback at various stages. Thank you to:
Bev Katz Rosenbaum, Maureen McGowan, Adrienne Kress, Michael Wacholtz, Tish Cohen, Sanaa-Ali-Virani, Samantha Steiner, and Kim Lindman for reading and feedback;
Karen Krossing for helping me brainstorm plot and structure;
Elyne Quan, Jing Kao-Beserve, Reshma Younge, Anjula Gogia, and Aneeka Kaliafor help with cultural authenticity and detail;
Judi Fairholm, the National Director of RespectED: Violence, Bullying, and Abuse Prevention for Canadian Red Cross, for research and discussion regarding consent and healthy relationships;
Stephanie Saville, whose insight and work with teens always inspires me;
my (surprise!) Star Trek authenticity readers, Elyne Quan, Jing Kao-Beserve, Leslie Kleinberg Zacks, and Jonah Zacks, for the most feedback, not to mention the most contradictory and passionate feedback, that I’ve ever received on such a short scene.
Anything I get wrong is on me.
Shout-out to some of my many buddies, online and off, from the world of publishing—everyone at Torkidlit, CANSCAIP, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, plus Amy Mathers, Helen Kubiw, Jenn Hubbs, my buddies from Backspace, Karen Dionne, Jon Clinch, Elizabeth Letts, Renee Rosen, Sachin Waikar, Keith Cronin, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Darcie Chan, and Jessica Keener, Kelly Mustian, Sam Bailey, Bev Katz Rosenbaum, Maureen McGowan, Adrienne Kress, Leslie Livingston, Caitlin Sweet, Joanne Levy, Karen Krossing, Eileen Cook, and the many others I’ve been lucky enough to connect with over the past few years—I’m horrified that I don’t have room to list you all . . . but I love you.
Eternal thanks to Laurie Halse Anderson for taking the time to share the experience and wisdom she’s gained from years of talking with (and listening to) teens about sexual violence.
Cindy and Gary Ullman, plus Michael Wacholtz, and our daughters, Tessa and Scarlett, deserve extra props this time. They fed me, listened to me, gave me time alone, (and/or helped me hide out at a secret, distraction-free location), and helped me get to the finish line.
My excellent family—Cindy and Gary Ullman, Jim and Beatrice Wacholtz, Brian Younge, plus the larger Saville, UIlman, Wacholtz, and Younge branches—is always cheering me on, spreading the word about my books, showing up for events, and buying (perhaps) more copies of my book than they technically need. Thank you.
Thank you to booksellers in bookstores large and small, for your enthusiasm and commitment to books and reading, and the support you’ve given my work.
Thank you to the teachers and librarians who invite me to schools and libraries and conferences, and who do so much to instill a love of reading in students.
Big thanks, also, to the many wonderful book clubs who’ve hosted me, and to the incredible community of online book people—bloggers, booktubers, bookstagramers, and reviewers who help keep literary conversation alive.
Finally, thank you to all my wonderful, smart, passionate readers. I do this for you, and I could not do it without you.
RESOURCES
IN THE UNITED STATES:
RAINN: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673); rainn.org; operates a National Sexual Assault Hotline, has a website with many helpful resources, and is partnered with thousands of local sexual assault service providers. It is the largest anti–sexual violence organization in the US.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center: nsvrc.org; provides information and tools to prevent and respond to sexual violence. This site has resources for survivors, friends and family, advocates and educators, and media.
End Rape on Campus: 202-281-0323; endrapeoncampus.org; works to end sexual violence on campus through support of survivors online and via their hotline. They also focus on prevention through education, and advocate for policy reform at campus, local, state, and federal levels.
Safe Horizon: Rape or sexual assault help: 1-212-227-3000; All crimes hotline: 1-866-689-HELP (4357); safehorizon.org; a national survivor assistance organization. Their site has many resources and they provide support online and/or over the phone. Their mission is to help survivors find safety, support, connection, and hope.
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386; text START to 678678; thetrevorproject.org; provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention to LGBTQ people under the age of twenty-five through resources on their site and through their helpline, which can be reached by phone, text, or online ch
at.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255; suicidepreventionlifeline.org; provides free and confidential emotional support, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for all ages, and there are helpful resources on their site.
IN CANADA:
Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868; text: 686868; kidshelpphone.ca; a national, 24/7 support service providing professional counseling, information, and referrals to young people age twenty and under. Their phone, text, and chat lines are free and confidential.
Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566; text: 45645; crisisservicescanada.ca/en; CSC is a national network of distress, crisis, and suicide prevention lines. They provide free support via their talk lines, and other resources on their site.
Below are websites that have gathered links to more hotlines, resources, and support across Canada:
Support Services—Canadian Women’s Foundation: canadianwomen.org/support-services
Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres: ocrcc.ca
TeenMentalHealth.org
Youth Mental Health Canada: ymhc.ngo
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Danielle Younge-Ullman (danielleyoungeullman.com) studied English and Theater at McGill University in Montreal, then worked as professional actor for ten years. This was character-building time during which she held a wild variety of acting and non-acting jobs--everything from working on the stage and in independent films, to dubbing English voices for Japanese TV, to temping, to teaching Pilates. She now lives with her husband and two daughters in an old house in Toronto that's constantly being renovated. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleYUllman.
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He Must Like You Page 28