“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” ~ Cicero

This Thanksgiving week, the Debutantes are expressing their thanks. 

I think that most authors will tell you that writing their acknowledgments is one of the most nerve-wracking parts of the publishing process. I hemmed and hawed and changed it at least 20 or 30 times. And I do worry. Are there people I forgot? There are many people in my life that I love dearly and are thankful for them in many ways, but had no involvement in my process with this book. Will some of those people think that they deserve thanking on the page and be angry that I chose not to? Oh, the agita!

I don’t want to completely rehash those acknowledgments here because, well, you can buy the book and read them, but I do want to say thanks in a more broad way.

I am thankful for:

• My husband, Joe, who is my best friend, my partner in crime, my chef, my biggest supporter and the love of my life.
• The Grub Street writing community. The staff, the board, the instructors and the amazing network of friends and fellow writers that I have the great fortune to be part of. There are FAR too many people to thank by name in this group of supportive people.
• The Salt + Radish Writers, my writing group, who has championed my book for nearly a decade.
• My SUPER AGENT – Amaryah Orenstein, at GO Literary, who has been a partner to me from the very beginning. I knew from her reaction to the first time I told her about my book that she was going to be a big force in my life.
• My super close circle of girlfriends, Leanna, Melissa and Linette, all of which live far away from me now.
• All the English and journalism teachers and professors that believed in me over the years, nurturing my love of words.
• My friend Greg McCormick, who I’ve been talking books and authors with since we were eighteen years old, even running an online literary magazine, The Plum Ruby Review, together.
• The friends I’ve met on the journey to learn the Italian language, including all my teachers, my small group of fellow student friends and the new Italian friends that I’ve connected with over the years.
• I’m thankful for the year 1997, which brought me to Boston, and changed the trajectory of my life.
• My kitties, who keep me sane and calm when I sometimes feel like the world is falling apart.
• The team at Cafe ArtScience and all the barflies that I’ve become friends with in the last ten years.
• Italy, which continually inspires me and beckons me with its call.
• My wide network of wonderful, talented and amazing friends. I’m truly blessed to know so many incredible, diverse people.
• The ’17 Scribes, a group of authors writing adult novels that are debuting in 2017. To have others on this crazy journey with me is such a relief.

And last but not least, I am incredibly thankful for my fellow Debutantes, Amy Poeppel, Lynn K. Hall, Jenni L. Walsh, and Tiffany D. Jackson. I love their books, I love their wit, I love their POV and I love that we are in this together.