Dr. Elena Mikalsen, a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma, helped me understand the development of post-traumatic stress disorder in young Karina, and how this would manifest, multiply and ultimately be healed through her life. Gene Glazier graciously shared her expertise about the psychology behind cutting, and how it occupies the minds and bodies of adolescent girls.
Thanks to the many folks who helped me learn about things of which I knew nothing. Tim Fox introduced me to Ernie Hahn and Matt Yamashita of Grizzly Peak Farms, where I observed the detailed process of marijuana cultivation. Sean Prosser advised me on the finer points of insider trading violations and settlements. Anjou Parekh and Pratiksha Lakhani educated me on the practice of Bharatnatyam dance. Charlene Stein showed me how to raise chickens, and Stephanie Walker patiently explained the care and feeding of equines.
Thank you to my virtual tribe, Fiction Writers Co-op, for making the solitary life of a writer a little less so.
Finally, thanks to my family and friends: Mom and Dad, for their unwavering support and love; Preety and Vikas, and Nikhil and Brahm, who helped reacquaint me with the heart and soul of an adventurous adolescent; Ram and Connie, for always being there through good and bad.
My deepest thanks to Anand, who read and believed in this story first, and who remains an unflappable champion and solid rock of support when it matters most. To Mira and Bela, who, amid the complexities of adolescence, always inspire me to see the immense possibility and utter wonder in the world.
And to my dear friends, for forgiving me when I disappear for long periods into my writing mind, and for always being there when I emerge, to share joys and divide heartaches.
The shape of my family includes all of you, and for that, I am ever grateful.
About the Author
SHILPI SOMAYA GOWDA was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her previous novels, Secret Daughter and The Golden Son, became international bestsellers, selling over two million copies worldwide. She holds an MBA from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead-Cain scholar. She lives in California with her husband and children.
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Also by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
Secret Daughter
The Golden Son
Copyright
The Shape of Family
Copyright © 2019 by Shilpi Somaya Gowda.
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EPub Edition: OCTOBER 2019 EPub ISBN: 978-1-4434-5900-6
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Print ISBN: 978-1-4434-5898-6 (trade paperback)
ISBN 978-1-4434-5897-9 (hardcover)
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