Everneath (37 page)

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Authors: Brodi Ashton

BOOK: Everneath

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I revised my paper for Mrs. Stone’s class. I’d found my redemption, and my hero. And I was going to get him back.

AT NIGHT

My bedroom, as I drift.

Every night, Jack is with me.

He lies down on his side, lengthwise on my bed, and props his head up on my pillow. I mirror his position. He places his hand over mine. I see it, but I don’t feel it. We discovered long ago that we can’t touch, even in our dreams. I am as much of a ghost to him as he is to me. We are a breath away—and a world apart—from each other.

He doesn’t know where he goes when he’s not with me. He doesn’t think he exists anymore, except for in my dreams.

I think he is right. And I tell him to hang on. I will never stop dreaming of him.

I will find him.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

B
race yourselves: This is going to be long. It takes a village to raise a novel, and this book owes its existence to one giant, crazy village.

First off, a big, sloppy kiss on the cheek to the folks at DGLM, especially my agent, Michael Bourret, who is one-half advocate, one-half shrink, and the other third kindred soul. Thank you for seeing the beauty in the beastly draft that I sent you, and for talking me down from the ledge on a regular basis. And for loving tennis just as much as I do. Added kisses for Lauren Abramo and her stellar work abroad on behalf of
Everneath.

Next, high fives all around to the entire team at Balzer + Bray and HarperCollins. Special thanks to Sara Sargent and my editor, Kristin Daly Rens, who fell in love with the story of
Everneath
months before it was even submitted. You taught me to never stop asking questions and digging deeper. The Everneath came to vivid life because of you. Also thanks to the many people behind the scenes, including even more editors, copy editors, and the enthusiastic sales, design, and marketing teams.

Slaps on the bums (football-team style) for my writing group, the SIX (aptly named because we are all six feet tall): Bree Despain, Emily Wing Smith, Kimberly Webb Reid, Valynne Maetani Nagamatsu, and Sara Bolton. Without your brilliant critiques, endless readings of crappy drafts, and emergency runs to In-N-Out Burger, this book would be a flaming pile of goo.

Hugs all around for friends who have helped me through the madness of trying to get a book published, either by reading early drafts or providing emotional support and chocolate: Amy Jefferies, Diane Adair, Anne Petty, Matthew J. Kirby, Alissa Owen, Raina Williams, Debbie Lambson, Jenni Elyse, Robin Weeks, Karin Brown, Amy Weech, and especially Dorien Nielson, who read the earliest version when it was only twenty pages long and I was getting it ready to be critiqued at a conference.

Thank you to Martine Leavitt and the rest of my WIFYR 2009 workshop group for their insights. Thank you to many more blog friends, Twitter friends, real-life friends, and book bloggers who have watched my journey from the beginning and thrown their enthusiastic support behind this book. You know who you are!

Chest bumps to my extended families, including Frank and Kathleen, the Johnsons, the Otts, the Jacksons, the Ellingsons, and the other Johnsons, and endless nieces and nephews who also were subjected to early drafts. Special thanks to Eden Ellingson, who gave me the idea to write a book in the first place.

A noogie on the head for my sister, Erin, who shouted the praises of crappy first drafts and was ready with a pair of brass knuckles for anyone who thought differently. I’d want you on my side of any battle! Extra noogies for her husband, Dave.

A kiss on the forehead for my mom and dad, who raised me to believe I could do anything and celebrated every step of the journey, from false starts and rejections to that magical day when I got THE CALL.

A pinch on the cheek for my boys, Carter and Beckham, for reminding me there is life outside of my books.

Most of all, a smack on the kisser for Sam. You never let me give up. You believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. You are the best man I know. It’s you and me against the world. Love you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BRODI ASHTON
received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Utah and a master’s degree in international relations from the London School of Economics. Brodi has an active following on her blog, which can be found at www.brodiashton.blogspot.com. She lives in Utah with her family.
EVERNEATH
is her debut novel.

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CREDITS

Cover design by Ray Shappell

COPYRIGHT

Balzer + Bray is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Everneath

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ashton, Brodi.

Everneath / Brodi Ashton. — 1st ed.

p. cm.

Summary: Nikki Beckett, who has just spent the past six months in the underworld having the life force sucked out of her by an immortal, has returned to the Surface for another six months before she’s banished back to the underworld for eternity.

ISBN 978-0-06-207113-2

EPub Edition © JANUARY 2012 ISBN: 9780062071156

[1. Supernatural—Fiction. 2. Immortality—Fiction. 3. Love—Fiction.]

I. Title.

PZ7.A8276Ev 2012

[E]—dc23

2011022892

CIP

11 12 13 14 15
LP
/
RRDH
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1