My deepest desire is that Stolen Secrets will inspire readers to seek out this young woman’s thoughts and experiences. Perhaps they will head to the library to check out Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. Maybe they will write me if they do. I would love nothing more than to wallpaper my home office with such letters. And perhaps one day, like Livvy, her mother, and myself, these readers will travel to Amsterdam to experience the Anne Frank House where eight people were forced to live in tight quarters, clinging to their dreams of the future.
While the outcome is tragic, there is undeniable joy in Anne’s words, perceptions, and dreams. She became a published writer, her voice reaching sixty nations. She proved that while life can be short, hope is inextinguishable.
L. B. Schulman
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
An acknowledgment page is a true gift, as nothing gets published without the tireless help of friends and colleagues. When a project takes as long as this one did, the gratitude list can get quite lengthy. I will mention the most major players, but please know that, in my heart, I thank every person who read pages, helped name a character, or answered random research questions.
A big thank you to the team at Boyds Mills Press, and especially my editor, Mary Colgan, who appraised every plot point and polished every word. To Ammi-Joan Paquette for her editorial and agent skills, all of which took tremendous time. And to the experts drummed up by my publishing team: Barbara Krasner, consultant on Jewish books and award-winning author, and Sarah Aronson, author and writing teacher, whose comment that she felt “wrecked” by the ending continues to be one of the best compliments I’ve ever received. And to Holocaust survivors Lewis and Trudy Schloss, who spoke to me for hours, allowing me to absorb the importance of this project. Though they are no longer with us, I believe that a part of their personal experience lives on in this book.
Much gratitude to my fabulous critique group, M’ladies of the Book, whose members—Alison Berka, Amanda Conran, Shannon Ledger, Darcey Rosenblatt, and Elizabeth Shreeve—have helped me in countless ways to reach this moment. Thanks also to the faculty and attendees of the Better Books workshop for their support and guidance. To my talented and most positive writer friend, Machille Legoullon, who only deserves the best from the universe. And to those in my family who generously read drafts and offered opinions: my sister, Beryl Vaughan; my father, Martin Hauser; and especially my mother, Kathryn Allan. To my most eager reader, mother-in-law Janice Schulman, whose love of Livvy and Franklin D. helped inspire more pages. I miss her terribly, but will never stop hearing her voice as I write, urging me onward.
Love and thanks to my daughter, Annalise, who never refused to take a look, even though she’d seen the same chapter in multiple disguises before it found its true form. Her encouragement kept me going. And to my youngest daughter, Julia, who served as “Teen Authenticity Board,” scouring every word to make sure that none of my stubborn ’80s lingo crept in. And finally, a special thank you to my husband, Robert, who not only listened to me read every page out loud, but offered me the time and support to create in the first place.
L.B. SCHULMAN was raised in Annapolis, Maryland, and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. A genealogy buff with a special interest in DNA tests, L.B. has a special appreciation of her ancestors and all they went through to create a better life for future generations. She is also the author of League of Strays. L.B. can be reached on Twitter, @ lbschulman, at facebook.com/LBSchulman, and on her website at lbschulman.com.
boydsmillspress.com
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