Her Majesty Gives Thanks

From debut novelist Jenny Gardiner:

Of course I am most grateful for my family and friends and many of life's good fortunes. Without these things, nothing else would matter, would it?

But with my efforts toward publication finally coming to fruition, there are so many exceedingly generous people for whom I am dreadfully thankful. (I always wanted to sound like the Queen---once I saw her on a news clip thanking some schoolgirls for knitting her a sweater that she said was "horribly lovely.") Without them my book, SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER, would no doubt have languished amidst a mounting stack of rejections and a broken spirit.

First person for whom I am ever so grateful is the guru herself, Bella Stander, who, besides allowing me to frequently pick her brain, pointed me to the awesome Jeff Kleinman at Folio Literary Management, one of the kindest people in the publishing industry. Despite having a plate overflowing with to-do's, he took the time to help this relatively clueless greenhorn, and ultimately hooked me up with my lovely agent, Erin Cartwright-Niumata, who has been wonderful.

My appreciation for my editor, Chris Keeslar, is boundless. After all, he "got" me! When you find an editor (and an agent) who understands your voice and believes in you as a writer, it's just such a great experience.

My endless thanks to my publicists, Erin Galloway at Dorchester, Nancy Berland and Elizabeth Middaugh (thank you, Bella!), and to Brooke Borneman who believes in this book and wants so much for it to sell well.

To the delightful and talented Kristy Kiernan, who invited me to take over the grog she started last year, The Debutante Ball, along with a rocking group of debut authors with whom I share the blog.

And to the iconic Meg Cabot, who had no reason to help me out but chose to do so, simply because she's a really nice person.

All of these people and so many more have been so instrumental in helping my dream come true, so this Thanksgiving I have that much more to be thankful for.