seem a cliche, but I have true, profound, enormous gratitude for my family. Not only do they make me laugh until my sides hurt daily, they have been my thinktank, my beta readers, my editing staff, my promoters, my cheerleaders. Isabelle brought me into the amazing world of dragons, and it was her writing and drawing that initiated Eve Archer's adventures. Camille reminded me that I, too, could be an "exlit ridr" and offered unending inspiration for brilliant characters and plot twists. My mom, David, Amy, and Kat all dared to believe in me and showed me that doing the impossible is totally an achievable dream.
My English teachers throughout my life gave me just enough gentle encouragement and erudite criticism to make me think writing might be worthwhile and I might be good at it. Ms. Smith, Ms. McKinney, Mr. McAllister, Prof. Samuelson, and Prof. LaBaugh: should you stumble across this book, and should you think it's alright, feel free to attribute the best bits to yourselves. You, and teachers everywhere, thank you for being you.
Thank you to editors and coaches like Alexandra Ott, Lisa Davis, and the fine folks of The Creative Writer's Toolbelt and The Self-Publishing Show. Andrew J. Chamberlain, Mark Dawson, and James Blatch: you are a gift to writers.
Thank you Candice Broesma for sharing your remarkable talent with me and the world at large. You somehow pulled this book cover from my brain and made art that I didn't know was possible.