Out of Character by Annabeth Albert
Acknowledgments
No book can take place without an amazing team behind it. I want to thank Mary Altman of Sourcebooks and Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency for making my dreams of a Conventionally Yours sequel come true. Mary and Christa Désir’s careful edits helped push me deeper into making my vision for the book ring true. Stefani Sloma is a publicity wizard and part of a larger unsung Sourcebooks team that does amazing things. I appreciate every opportunity you have found for me and for your enthusiasm for these books. The audio team from Dreamscape have also been so fabulous. I can’t say enough good things about the cover art by Colleen Reinhart and also the promotional art from artist Lauren Dombrowski. Lauren has been particularly wonderful to work with and their drawings give life to my imagination.
Jasper had an amazing cheering section on the home front too. Melinda Reuter went above and beyond with her thoughtful beta, especially on the gaming details. Karen Stivali was my sounding board for all things East Coast and mothers, and I appreciate her friendship most of all. My personal assistant, Abbie Nicole, is also a dear friend and probably heard more about Jasper’s tribulations than anyone else. This was my first beta from my unicorn-loving bestie, Gwen Martin. I’m so, so glad you came into my life at the perfect moment, and your comments and enthusiasm helped so much. So many other friends provided key support, and I must thank all the readers of my Facebook reader group, Annabeth’s Angels. The group is often the brightest spot in my day, and everyone’s desire for more from the True Colors universe kept me going.
This book also comes from years of playing tabletop games, and I’m so grateful to all the podcasts, vlogs, and websites that helped round out my knowledge. I especially appreciate those that patiently explained the secondary market for rare collectibles in terms even this newbie collector could understand. Jasper and Milo also required a deep dive into the world of geocaching, which was fun and informative. Thank you to my family and friends for all the hours spent gaming over the years and for dealing with my many questions with grace. My family also put up with a lot of late dinners and distracted conversations during the final push for which I am so grateful.
The book was written during the quarantine and social distancing of the great pause, and it was so lovely to get to escape into a world without Covid-19, where conventions and fundraisers and hospital visits could still take place. The decision to leave Covid-19 out of the book was very deliberate, and I hope readers enjoy this little bit of escapism as much as I did. I loved the group scenes so much, and I can’t wait to live in a world where such gatherings are commonplace again.
And finally, thank you to my readers. I have the best readers anywhere. Every share, picture, post, tag, like, and message are so appreciated. Your word of mouth is everything, and your enthusiasm is why I keep writing. I love hearing from you! If you love Jasper as much as I do, please consider telling a friend or leaving a review.
