Jay Budgett: The Indigo Thief

Chris Okawa—thanks always for your excitement, encouragement, and kind words. There is no person whose opinion and insights I respect more than yours. You are one of those incredible people who can look at other’s fragile dreams and see the strong realities that they can become.

Thank you Mom for keeping me grounded and for humoring all my crazy ideas. Dad—thanks for your belief, support, and words of encouragement.

Thanks to Lindsay Gregory for believing in my story and for your early critiques—they helped shape the story more than you’ll ever know. Susan Faurer, thank you for being my “eagle eye.” I am so grateful for your enthusiasm to read and improve this story. Your zeal for life is truly contagious.

I am fortunate to have had many teachers who, in one way or another, helped shaped my belief in myself to tell stories, as well as my ability to do so. Thanks Blair Biederman for giving me the opportunity to finish my first piece of writing back in high school. It gave me the courage to keep writing. Thanks Gregg Maday for teaching me more about shaping stories than anyone I’ve ever met. You’ve got an incredible eye for stories and a gift for teaching others how to tell them.

Lastly, I’d like to thank my phenomenal editor David Gatewood for helping me transform this novel from what it was to what I’d always wanted it to be.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Jay Budgett is a senior studying business at Arizona State University. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling, swimming, coffee drinking, and scuba diving. He is also the playwright of a comedy titled Greener Pastures . Jay loves to hear from his readers. Connect with him at: jaybudgett.com