Nor could I have done it without the gift of time and space. Huge thanks to friends who gave me keys to their beautiful and peaceful empty houses and apartments to use as writing retreats: Elisa D’Andrea and Glen Weinstein, Judy and John Bright, Sue Miller and Doug Bauer, and Jennifer Weiner. Thanks also to the Corporation of Yaddo where part of this novel was written.
Extra special thanks to Ivan Held for remaining “undaunted” (his word) and leading me to Stephanie Kipp Rostan at Levine Greenberg Rostan, who then led me to Megan Lynch at Ecco, and to Jill Gillet at WME—who all took a chance on me after so many dormant years. A dream well worth waiting for. Thanks to Ecco’s stellar publishing team, including Dan Halpern, Miriam Parker, Sara Birmingham, Meghan Deans, Dale Rohrbaugh, Allison Saltzman, Sonya Cheuse, Rachel Kaplan, Ashlyn Edwards, Shelly Perron, and to Anne Bentley for a fabulous cover illustration. And to Sarah Bedingfield, Elizabeth Fisher, Melissa Rowland, Mick Coccia, and Cristela Henriquez at LGR for all their hard work on my behalf.
My parents didn’t live long enough to see it, but they would have loved nothing more than this second chance.
About the Author
LAURA ZIGMAN is the author of Animal Husbandry (which was made into the movie Someone Like You, starring Hugh Jackman and Ashley Judd), Dating Big Bird, Piece of Work, and Her. She has been a contributor to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Huffington Post; produced a popular online series of animated videos called “Annoying Conversations”; and was the recipient of a Yaddo residency. Zigman lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband, son, and deeply human sheltie.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Copyright
SEPARATION ANXIETY. Copyright © 2020 by Laura Zigman. 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.
FIRST EDITION
Cover design by Allison Saltzman
Cover illustration © Anne Bentley / Lilla Rogers Studio
* * *
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Zigman, Laura, author.
Title: Separation anxiety : a novel / Laura Zigman.
Description: New York : Ecco, 2020.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019003298 | ISBN 9780062909077
Subjects: | GSAFD: Humorous stories.
Classification: LCC PS3576.I39 S47 2020 | DDC 813/.54—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019003298
* * *
Digital Edition MARCH 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-290909-1
Version 01222020
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-290907-7
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5H 4E3
www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida
Uttar Pradesh 201 301
www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com