Mrs. Saint and the Defectives: A Novel
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“Still nothing,” Patty said.
“She will turn up,” Frédéric said. “I believe this.”
“I’m sure that’s right,” Markie said as she produced a jar of jam from the pocket of her sweatshirt and set it on the coffee table. “Thought we could use more. Raspberry this time, like Bruce requested.” She checked her watch. “Where are they, anyway?”
“Ronda has burned the tops of the muffins,” Frédéric said. “Bruce is helping her cut them off. We will have muffin bottoms and jam today, if this is acceptable.”
“Sounds good to me,” Kyle said.
“Me too,” Markie said. “Listen, Frédéric, Simone called me last night. She couldn’t reach you. She wanted to know if they should book hotel rooms—”
“Non!” Frédéric said. “Certainly not! They can stay here, with the girls and me. We insist!” Turning to Patty, he said, “Do we not?”
“Mais oui,” Patty said, a hand on his arm. “Of course we do.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book represents the collective efforts of many people. I am so grateful to:
My agent, Victoria Sanders, for believing in Mrs. Saint and wanting to see her in print as much as I did. And for showing us an original pair of the iconic Harlequin cat-eye glasses invented by her grandmother, Altina Schinasi Miranda. Mrs. Saint wears these glasses on the book jacket. And to Bernadette Baker-Baughman and everyone else at Victoria Sanders & Associates.
My editor, Danielle Marshall, for her enthusiasm and insightful comments. Also, copy editor extraordinaire Jessica Fogleman, who doesn’t miss a single thing, the very helpful Gabriella Dumpit, and everyone else on the wonderful Lake Union Team.
My friend and writing guru Benee Knauer, for her wisdom and guidance.
Peter Grose, for his brilliant book A Good Place to Hide: How One French Community Saved Thousands of Lives in World War II, for answering my many questions, for introducing me to current and former citizens of Le Chambon, and for allowing me to steal the line “We were never children,” originally (and aptly) uttered by Hanne Liebmann, to whom I am also grateful.
Pierre Sauvage, founder of the Chambon Foundation and producer of the documentary Weapons of the Spirit, for being instrumental in letting the world know about Le Chambon.
Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland DeSaix, for their excellent book Hidden on the Mountain: Stories of Children Sheltered from the Nazis in Le Chambon.
Assistant Chief Amy Brow of the Ann Arbor Fire Department, for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions about fire department procedures in responding to residential house fires.
My cousin Kate Baker, for reading an early draft and for reviewing and correcting, along with her son Thomas Baker Laprise, all of Mrs. Saint’s French.
MaryBeth Bishop, for reading an early version and offering incredibly thorough and on-the-nose suggestions.
Lori Nelson Spielman and Camille Noe Pagan, for their encouragement and friendship.
My children, Jack and Libby, for cheering me on. Also Maddie Timmer and the rest of the Lawson and Timmer families, for their continued generous support.
And, as always, and most of all, to my husband, Dan. Six years and three books later, he still answers the question “Could I run something by you about my book?” with “Absolutely.” Every single time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2013 Mara Klarman
Julie Lawson Timmer grew up in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, and graduated from McMaster University before earning a law degree from Southern Methodist University in Texas. By turns, she is a writer, lawyer, mom/stepmom, and fledgling yogi. Her first novel, Five Days Left, received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal; her second novel, Untethered, received a starred review from Library Journal and was praised by Kirkus Reviews as a “thoughtfully written and ultimately uplifting celebration of families that are not bound by blood or by law but by love.”
Timmer lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her husband, Dan, their children, and two dogs. Visit her online at www.julielawsontimmer.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JulieLawsonTimmerAuthor, on Twitter @JulieLTimmer, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/julielawsontimmer.