Pumpkin (Dumplin' #3) - Julie Murphy Page 0,100
I’ve witnessed in my lifetime.
First and foremost, to my editor, Alessandra Balzer, I’m so grateful for our working relationship and the friendship we have built over the years. Thank you for seeing the potential in Dumplin’ from the beginning (and in me even before then!) and for allowing me to grow and explore this universe. Working with you is one of the greatest honors of my career.
John Cusick, thank you so much for answering every call, text, and email with calm and enthusiasm. You are such a rock in my life, and we have too much fun together to even call it work at this point. Thank you also to Molly Cusick, who started it all and to the entire team at Folio Literary Management.
Thank you to Dana Spector. You are one of the fiercest women in Hollywood, and I’m thankful to have you in my court.
I’m deeply grateful to Jackie Burke and Anna Bernard, my two publicists, for keeping so many balls spinning—even when I’ve neglected my inbox. (Which is more often than I’d like to admit.)
My family at Harper has been the best team a girl could ask for, especially Suzanne Murphy, Donna Bray, Caitlin Johnson, Ebony LaDelle, Shannon Cox, Audrey Diestelkamp, Ann Dye, Lindsey Karl, Patty Rosati, Almeda Beynon, Sarah Kaufman, Alison Donalty, Kathryn Silsand, Kristen Eckhardt, Andrea Pappenheimer, Kerry Moynagh, Kathy Faber, and Nellie Kurtzman. Thank you as well to everyone at Epic Reads, HCCFrenzy, and HarperCollins360. So many people carry the torch of bringing a book to readers. I know I’m certainly missing someone, but I’m not any less thankful for those who I have.
This incredible cover would not exist without Jenna Stempel-Lobell and this divine art by Josh McKenna. I also owe a great deal of gratitude to Aurora Parlagreco for setting such a fantastic tone with that first Dumplin’ cover.
Thank you to Chad Burris for lending your incredible vocal talents to the audiobook and for bringing Waylon to life so vividly.
Many people played a role in making this book the best it could be and I would be lost without their thoughtful guidance. Thank you specifically to Bethany Hagen, Jeramey Kraatz, Phil Stamper, and D. Ann Williams.
Whether it was a Zoom game night, a perfectly timed meme via text, or a very socially distant hangout session, my friends have kept me sane through this year. Natalie C. Parker, Tessa Gratton, the Taylor family, John Stickney, Hayley Harris, Deanna Green, Ashley Meredith, Luke and Lauren Brewer, Tara Hudson, Adib Khorram, Corey Whaley, and Ashley Lindemann. I love you each so, so much. Thank you also to Bob, Liz, Emma, Roger, Vivienne, Aurelia, Pam, and Frank. I’m so grateful to call you family and always be able to count on your love.
I owe a great deal of gratitude to my Dumplin’ movie team. You all have brought me so much happiness and I’m so proud of all that we’ve created. Thank you especially to Kristin Hahn, Jennifer Aniston, Mohamed AlRafi, Trish Hoffman, Kelly Todd, Danny Nozell, Danielle Macdonald, Maddie Baillio, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Odeya Rush, Luke Benward, Hillary Begley, and Georgie Flores.
Thank you especially to Ginger Minj, who spurred me on to write Waylon’s story.
And of course, the one and only Dolly Parton. Dolly, you shine light on everything you touch. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that my little books would bring us together, but they have and it’s turned out to be one of the most incredible things that’s ever happened to me. Thank you for your friendship and support.
Mom and Dad, thank you for always allowing me to be too weird and too loud and too much. You never said no. (Actually, sometimes you might have, but it was probably for good reason, and I ignored you anyway.)
Dexter, Rufus, and Opie . . . yes, I am thanking my dog and two cats. Thank you for the cuddles and for all the joy you bring me.
Ian, our love is my favorite inspiration. Thank you for believing in me even when you have absolutely no reason to and for always letting me sleep in.
Lastly, to my readers . . . there is not enough gratitude in the world to properly express how much your support and enthusiasm means to me. When Dumplin’, the first book in this series, released in 2015, we lived in a different world. I didn’t know how a book about a fat person who just wanted to take up space and find love might be received. I didn’t know if there was an audience for the kind of stories I wanted to tell. But it turned out that I wasn’t alone. Since then, and thanks to the work of so many artists and activists, the conversations around bodies have changed astronomically. We still have such a long way to go, but I’m eagerly looking forward to every step of that journey. Thank you for being part of this moment with me and for proving that good stories come in all shapes and sizes.
Creating and living in the world of Clover City has been an honor and I’ve been able to do so for three books because of you, my dear readers. Thank you for finding a place in your heart for Willowdean, Millie, Waylon, and the whole gang. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I love you. Go big or go home.
About the Author
Photo by Christy Archibald
JULIE MURPHY lives in North Texas with her husband, who loves her; her dog, who adores her; and her cats, who tolerate her. After several wonderful years in the library world, Julie now writes full-time. When she’s not writing, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, or planning her next great travel adventure. She is the author of the young adult novels Puddin’, Ramona Blue, Side Effects May Vary, Faith: Taking Flight, and Dumplin’ (now a Netflix original film). She is also the author of a middle grade novel, Dear Sweet Pea.
You can visit Julie at www.imjuliemurphy.com.
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Books by Julie Murphy
Dumplin’
Puddin’
Pumpkin
Side Effects May Vary
Ramona Blue
Dear Sweet Pea
Faith
Faith: Greater Heights
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Copyright
Balzer + Bray is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
PUMPKIN. Copyright © 2021 by Julie Murphy. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, 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 hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Cover art © 2021 by JOSH McKENNA
Cover design by JENNA STEMPEL-LOBELL
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2020952898
Digital Edition MAY 2021 ISBN: 978-0-06-288047-5
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-288045-1
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2122232425PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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