Thank You
This is a big deal, right?
It is. I know it is. And I am blown away and humbled by this extraordinary honor and the faith readers have in me and my work.
But (because there’s always a but, isn’t there?) this isn’t just about me. I wrote the words, true. My name is on the cover. This book came from a deeply personal place that I don’t talk about often. To say I’m grateful is an understatement. Thank you.
But! There are so many people who work behind the scenes to ensure such things can happen. If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll know my history with publishers is…fraught. If you’re not aware of this, let’s just say that I have trust issues, and for good reason.
When I signed with Tor and Tor Teen, it was exciting and weird and pretty unbelievable. Here I was, this indie author who wrote about queer people from all walks of life searching for their place in the world and the happy ending that some people would still try and deny them. I didn’t know how that would translate to mainstream publishing. Did I dream about hitting the NYT Bestseller list? Of course I did. Most authors do. It’s a goal. It’s a fantasy. It’s something that seems so out of reach that it might as well be impossible.
And yet, here I am with my second NYT bestseller in a single year.
If you’ve read Under the Whispering Door, I hope you read the acknowledgements at the end because those are the people who made this all possible. My book, my words, but it takes a village. And I want—and absolutely need—to sing their praises once again. Bear with me, yeah?
My agent, Deidre Knight, is the reason any of this is happening in the first place. She believed in my work so completely that I began to believe. Imposter’s syndrome is a very real thing that many people have experienced, not just creatives. And I’m no exception. Deirdre is always there to hold my hand, to talk me through it, to give feedback that’s not only necessary, but vital. She and everyone at the Knight Agency are the reason I am where I am today, full stop. Thank you.
Ali Fisher is my editor. She is the one who read my books at Tor/Tor Teen and believed in my stories. Not only does she get me and my sense of humor (which not everyone does, and that’s okay), but she is so damn good at what she does. My books are better than they have any right to be because of her. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: she is the best editor I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Thank you.
The assistant editor, Kristin Temple, helped shape an important character in the Manager. Because of her, who he is and what he does actually makes sense. Not to say he didn’t before, but with her input, I was able turn him into the character you read in the story. Thank you.
Saraciea Fennell and Anneliese Merz are my publicists. You see all my blog posts? The panels I’m on? The podcasts? The trips I’ve made in support of my books? That’s all because of them and their hard work. I don’t know how they do it (especially with someone as needy as me), but they are the best in the business. Thank you.
Becky Yeager is the marketing lead. Did you see that lovely print made by Venessa Kelly? That was Becky’s idea to reach out to have the art made. But not only that, she works tirelessly to get the word out about my books, and I’m so lucky to have her on my team. Thank you.
I want to work with Chris of Red Nose Studios forever. He created the covers for Under the Whispering Door and The House in the Cerulean Sea (and by created, I mean built). Let’s face it: most people (me included) can be cover snobs. It’s the first thing most people see about a book. And he has crafted two of the most stunning covers I’ve ever had. Red Nose Studios has a fan for life. Thank you.
Rachel Taylor, the social media coordinator, runs the Tor social media accounts. When you see Tor posts, those are coming from her. When you see me joking around with the Tor accounts, she’s there, playing right along with me. I love that. Thank you.
The sensitivity readers were so, so important, and never let anyone convince you otherwise. Their work is necessary. Their work is important. Their work should be acknowledged because I am a white man writing characters of color and I need to be held to account for what I put on the page. Thank you.
And there are more, so many more. Anthony Parisi, Isa Caban, Peter Lutjen, Alex Cameron, William Hinton, Julia Bergen, Devi Pillai, Eileen Lawrence, Sarah Reidy, Lucille Rettino, Tom Doherty, Melanie Sander, Steven Bucsok, Heather Saunders, Katie Klimowicz, Michelle Foytek, the Macmillan sales team. All of them make this dream of mine possible, and I am forever in their debt. Thank you.
Booksellers and librarians have been instrumental in getting the word out about my book. They love books as much as I do, and I adore each and every one of them who believe that queer stories matter. Thank you.
And to you, the reader. Maybe you have just found my books recently. Maybe you’ve been there since the beginning. Regardless, the only reason any of this has happened is because of you. Yes, there is a team behind my books. Yes, I wrote the books. But because of you, I get to be where I am today. I will never forget that. Thank you.
So, what happens now? Being on bestseller lists is crazy cool, but in the end, it doesn’t change who I am as a person, or as a writer. I will continue to write how I want to write. I will continue to tell the stories I want to tell. Queer stories matter now more than ever. Thank you for letting me do what I love most.
This is for all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
