Inconceivable — The best acknowledgment I’ve received
I’ve collaborated on eleven books, and to me there are few things as satisfying as holding that first printed copy of the hardcover book in my hands. The weight of it, the smell of the new ink on the fresh pages and the sound of the spine as the book cracks open for the first time are sensual pleasures I loved as a kid in the public library, and love even more now that we know the era of the printed book is coming to an end.
The crap shoot, as a collaborator, is the moment when I look to the back of the book to see how my co-author has acknowledged me. I haven’t gotten cover credit for most of the books I’ve worked on, but credit or not, the process our work together is always intimate. We fight, we cry and we have moments when we share an insight into something from their pasts when I feel, over the internet or phone, that we are exchanging a hug. When I open the book I always wonder how they will thank me for that.
Sean and Carolyn Savage are generous people as is evidenced in their very gracious acknowledgment of me:
“This book would not have been possible without the amazing work of our collaborating writer Danelle Morton. Danelle, thank you for your countless hours of shaping, editing, and writing! Your insights and keen eye for how to arrange a well-told story have been priceless, and your patience and grace through the challenging moments did not go unnoticed. We are especially grateful for the way you motivated us to write through the most painful memories. You said we would be better for it. You were right. We cannot wait to see what you do next, as it seems that everything you touch turns to gold!”
