April 2020 Dear Librarian, When I was growing up, there was a sign in my hometown library that read Open to All. Libraries truly are open to all, and that is what makes them so wonderful, especially to someone like me, who was raised on books. My mother, Betty, has always valued reading. She made it part of our nightly ritual when I was a kid. I have fond memories of our outings to the library, where I was given the opportunity to discover books without limitation and to encounter titles I still cherish today. Though some things from my childhood have faded from my memory, I still remember that old library with the dewy decimal cabinet, its brass pulls tarnished by years of use. The librarian’s large oak desk just to the left, leading to a room full of threadbare dictionaries and encyclopedias, the tiny particles of dust filling the air each time a book was removed from the shelf. These are the memories I treasure, and why libraries are so important. They are a place to fall in love with the written word. Libraries supported my debut novel, The Summer that Melted Everything. I’m so thankful for that support. I look forward to sending BETTY out into the world and connecting with both readers and libraries. I hope you enjoy your time with BETTY. That it becomes a novel you want to share with your patrons. On behalf of authors everywhere, thank you for being open to all.
Tiffany McDaniel Author of BETTY (Knopf, 7/14/20)