Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton (novels for beginners txt) 📕

about me, saying I’m going to get lonely living on an island in the middle of the ocean where I don’t know anyone. But it’s an island chain, and I’m already making friends (including a surfer girl who might be more than friends, we shall see). I’m still pretty wary of dating after all that Holden stuff last year, but I’ve also learned that no matter what happens, I’m strong enough to walk away from a bad relationship. I got a tattoo on my forearm that says I am enough, just to remind me of that daily. Speaking of Holden—he ended up staying local for college, which gives me a bit of satisfaction. Though I’m sure he’ll find his way to Wall Street eventually. Also, please know I didn’t give him any of the lotto winnings. Not a penny. Though I did get him a yearlong subscription to a glitter-bomb delivery service, which I’m hoping has caused him much distress. Because, c’mon, I’m not a saint.

In case you were wondering: Bran invested the money I gave him, paid off his parents’ debts, and has been to Australia twice already this year to see Sofie. Well, three times I guess, since we both went to Sydney for spring break in March. It’s a gorgeous city, and we got to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef. Which was EPIC and a life-changing experience. It made me want to help preserve the oceans even more.

Let’s see, what else? Oh! Bran did get the CNN internship, but much to all of our surprise, he turned it down. Since he’s now loaded, he’s decided to not be a reporter but rather to be a travel writer. He’s also taking a gap year, BUT when he goes to college next year, it’ll be at the University of Hawaii with me, which should be perfection. He’s actually arriving today for a month-long visit, and then he and Sofie are heading out on their global adventure. I’m hoping to join them for at least part of their trip.

Well, it’s almost sunset here, and I’m going to sign off because Bran’s plane will be landing soon. The ocean is calling to me, and I’m going to take a long walk on the beach as the stars come out and then go pick him up. I can’t wait for what the summer will bring, and I’m so excited about everything life has to offer me. I feel like I’ve finally grown into my name and the luck it was meant to carry. The only thing I’m missing at this point is you.

I love you, Dad. I miss you. And wherever you are, I hope you can hear the ocean and see the stars too. Maybe the ocean and stars are all we can ask for in a good life. Or maybe there’s more. I’m not sure, but I’ll try to figure it out. I promise.

Love always,

Jane

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

OH, THIS BOOK. SHEW. I LOVE IT SO MUCH, BUT IT WAS ALSO THE hardest one I’ve ever written because it dredged up heartaches I’ve carried for years and because the world changed so radically in the spring of 2020, a few weeks before my debut, The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly, rode into the world and while I was in the middle of edits for Lucky Girl. I’m so lucky and so very grateful to have had such a wonderful team of people who helped me bring this book into our strange new world.

First, forever thanks to my agent, Kate Testerman, for always being a champion of my work and for answering all my frantic emails with optimism, confidence, and humor.

Thank you to my editor, Ashley Hearn, who loved Fortuna Jane from the beginning and whose suggestions helped shape this story in every way. I will never write a third act without thinking about your insight and guidance.

Thanks also to the amazing team at Page Street: Senior Editor Lauren Knowles; Associate Editor Tamara Grasty; Editorial Intern Sabrina Kleckner; Business Manager Meg Palmer; Managing Editor Hayley Gundlach; Editorial Manager Marissa Giambelluca; Designer Laura Gallant; the marketing and publicity team, including Lizzy Mason and Kayla Tostevin; and the wonderful sales team at Macmillan. Thank you also to my copy editor, Rebecca Behrens.

Thank you to my author friends who have made this journey so much better and who read early drafts of Lucky Girl: Lizzy Mason, Noelle Salazar, M. K. England, Jenny Ferguson, Joan He, and Carrie Allen. Thank you for crying in the right places, reminding me to add feelings and setting details, and also for helping Jane figure out what to do about awful Holden. (Glitter bomb! Woot!)

Thank you to the other writers who joined me for events and helped promote my books. I so appreciate your support and I loved chatting with you all: Becky Albertalli, Adiba Jaigirdar, Jennifer Dugan, Marissa Meyer, Ashley Poston, Jen DeLuca, Rachel Lynn Solomon, Joy McCullough, Jennifer Honeybourn and the many others in the author community who reached out a hand.

Thank you to my wonderful street team and to all the readers, bloggers, librarians, teachers, and other folks who helped spread the word about Lucky Girl, The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly, and my other books.

Thank you to the real Mrs. Davis, biology teacher extraordinaire, who was a light to me in the wilderness that was high school. And thank you to Sylvia Earle, incredible oceanographer and badass, who will probably never read this book, but whom I admire tremendously for all the good work she does. In another life, like Fortuna Jane, I would be on that boat with you studying the oceans and helping preserve them for future generations.

Thank you also to Sadie Rogers, my lovely friend who spent so much time cleaning out creeks with me in high school. Ecology Club in this book was absolutely inspired by our adventures.

Thank you to Melanie Richards and Kimberly Canady for helping Adam and me get to Hawaii the first time. And