When You Were Here

Schneider. I spent time with Sharon, but I also came to know her more through stories of her—the stories of her life that my mother-in-law, Barbara Major, shared with me. Sharon was Barbara’s best friend and fought a long and valiant battle with cancer for many years. But even in spite of Sharon’s illness, she remained so focused on life, on enjoying it, on sharing love and laughter with her children, and on showing them the world. Sharon, if you were here today, you’d be thrilled and not at all surprised to know that Jenny and Andy are wonderful, warm, funny, thoughtful, fabulous twentysomethings, and I am so grateful to count them as part of my big extended family. While the character of Elizabeth is entirely fictional, she was absolutely inspired by Sharon’s life, spirit, and heart.
    Thank you then, Jenny and Andy, for not balking when I said I was writing a novel inspired by your mom. You guys are truly awesome.
    On the subject of inspiration, I have to thank my fantastic husband, Jeff, for the initial spark. I still remember that afternoon at the dog beach when we brainstormed the potential for this novel as Violet chased tennis balls in the waves.
    This story was also inspired by Gayle Forman, one of the most talented writers I know. As soon as I finished her novel Where She Went (the first of what would become three reads so far of that fabulous book), I knew I had to write a book with a teenage boy as the narrator.
    Of course, my own parents are part of the inspiration for any story in which family, and the importance of the connections between generations, plays so central a role. You guys have always encouraged me to pursue my dreams, you have always believed in me, and for that I am so grateful because here I am, living the dream.
    My agent, Michelle Wolfson, deserves an entire acknowledgments section alone for her amazingness. She read this novel in twenty-four hours and fell in mad love with it, has read every draft, and has never ceased to be this book’s biggest champion. Michelle, you were my dream agent, and you became my actual agent, and you have remained a dream agent. I’ve said it to you many times, but it bears repeating—having you guiding my writing career has freed me to just write, and that is the greatest thing I could ask for as a writer. To many years of mind melds.
    My editor, Kate Sullivan, continues to astound me with her razor-sharp insight and brilliance. She has known what this book needed every step of the way, and she has gently guided me into finding the heart of the story, and to taking off at least one accessory. Kate, your edits are challenging, mind-bending, and daring, and working with you to shape this story into what it has become is why I wanted to keep working with you. What a lucky writer I am to have you in my court. Let’s do it again!
    A big thanks as well to the team at Little, Brown that has shepherded this novel from its earliest stages, including Leslie Shumate, Victoria Stapleton, Lisa Moraleda, and Alvina Ling.
    Many writer friends chimed in with valuable feedback along the way. Kody Keplinger looked at the first chapter way back when and gave me helpful input. Cynthia Omololu read many, many drafts and gamely participated in many more brainstorming and what-if scenarios. Cynthia—your smart and thoughtful feedback but, most important, your willingness to always be there as my go-to gal is so greatly appreciated. Courtney Summers cheered me on during the epic writing binge of this book—first draft in twenty-one days, thank you very much. More important, though, she read a draft during the final stages of editing and offered great insight on tweaking the characters and certain elements of the story to make it sharper and better. My local writer friends cheered me on as well—Cheryl Herbsman and Malinda Lo, I’m talking about you! Stephanie Perkins and Kiersten White—you’re as fabulous as ever; I love our Wednesday “chats.” Suzanne Young—you are adored.
    As always, my best friend in the entire world, Theresa Shaw, was and is there for me, for every book, for every event, for every moment in my writing career. Theresa—you are inimitable, and I can’t imagine navigating the insanity and the magic without you.
    I am indebted to many online resources for information about doctor-patient confidentiality as well as health and medical guidelines in Japan. That includes a study on disease and prognosis disclosure conducted by the