Dear Reader,

 

Tucked away at the back of my closet is an old tin box filled with things that matter to me. If I showed you what was inside, you would see a rusty fishhook, a fortune cookie that’s never been opened, a letter I’ve never had the courage to mail, and a jumble of other things that might look like junk, even though it’s all priceless to me. What’s inside my tin box is about the choices I’ve made, a few decisions I’ve put on hold, and a lot of private, personal moments that helped make me who I am today.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a writer, and for me, it’s always been about the story. As a kid, I would watch complete strangers and become fascinated by the mischief in someone’s eyes as they talked on a phone, or intrigued to distraction by the sad tilt of someone’s head as they stared out a bus window. I loved listening to people talk, but it was usually what they didn’t say that captivated me most, all of the hidden things they weren’t sharing – all of their secrets. Even now, I often catch myself wondering what someone else’s story is, wondering what I would find in their tin box if they had one.

Years ago, I promised myself that someday I would write a book with a tin box in it, a story that would resonate with anyone who’s ever had a secret they’ve never shared. I wanted it to be the kind of story that pulled readers in, the kind you couldn’t put down, a book you’d recommend to friends. The Tin Box begins in the small town of Athabasca, which really does exist, other than the fictional airport, which doesn’t. I grew up there, and in this story, so does Kenly. I hope you enjoy the journey her tin box takes you on.

 

Sincerely,

 

Holly Kennedy