As always, I cherish the support from my writing beasties: Ann Breidenbach, Jennifer Gravley, Nina Mukerjee Furstenau, Laura McHugh, and Allison Smythe. Thank you for the support you have shown me a million different times in a million different ways.
To my girlfriends, who are by great good fortune too many to name, but who know who they are: thank you for all the times you bought a book, raised a glass, came to an event, posted a review, snapped a pic, told a friend, sent a text, gave a hug, consulted on an outfit, IKR’d, OMG’d, and LOL’d. I am profoundly grateful for your friendship.
I’d also like to thank the many mystery writers, book bloggers, reviewers, librarians, booksellers, and book clubs who have welcomed me to this industry so warmly. Your kindness inspires me to work harder.
And special thanks to my family for their unending reams of support: Neal Rosenfeld, F.E. and Jack Nortman, Cheryl and Scott Orr, Allison, Pete, Samantha, and Ava Fiutak, and Dawn, Eddie, Madelyn, and Jackson Orr. And of course again to Jimmy, Fletcher, and Ellie. I love you all so much!
Lastly, I’d like to point out that as I look back on this list of people who have helped me along my publishing journey, I see the names of so many strong, smart women. What a privilege it is to have you all in my life. So to end (and in the spirit of the pop-culture wisdom of Jenna B), I’ll make a small modification to one of my favorite anonymous quotes/Pinterest memes:
“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them. And may we create them fictionally!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jill Orr is the author of The Good Byline, the first in the Riley Ellison mystery series. A board member of the Unbound Book Festival, she lives in Columbia, Missouri, with her husband and two children.
