My name is Hope Nicely. Why am I writing this book? That's easy. This book is going to change my life. My boss, Karen, says a friend is a stranger you haven't met yet.

I think that's right. Veronica Ptitsky and Danny Flynn are strangers, except I have met them now because they 're in my writing class.

But I don't want any friends, actually (only dog ones). I have my mum, Jenny Nicely, who says adopting me was the best thing she ever did, even if my thoughtsbounce a bit differently to other people'sExcept when my life does change it isn't because of my book but because something happens to my mum, Jenny Nicely, and she isn't here anymore. And, flip a pancake, I'm not very good at being on my own. Maybe I do need some human friends after all . . .