FIRST, I’D LIKE TO THANK GOD for the incredible blessing of seeing a lifelong dream come to pass. As for the mortals who played a hand in this, there are quite a few. Forgive me if I miss any of you. It’s the head, not the heart, as they say. . . .
Mom, I still don’t know if this is what you had in mind when it came to pushing reading over play, but thank you for your particular parenting model. I’ll be doing the same when it’s my turn to choose the ball or the book.
Adrienne, the role of a writer’s wife is often thankless, but you have gone above and beyond so I am thanking you now. You’re a bigger part of this than you realize. This could not have happened without you.
Dad, Sonji, Nikki, Tony, Britney, Eboni, Grandma, Mr. and Mrs. Green, and the rest of my extended family . . . your support cannot be measured with words, though I make this paltry attempt. Thank you all.
Jamie Weiss Chilton, my agent, who is my first and best advocate in this industry. Starfleet salutes you.
Eternal gratitude to Phoebe Yeh, my editor, who took a chance on me when so many others weren’t willing, Jessica MacLeish, who sends me packages of the best homework I’ve ever gotten, and the rest of the hardworking folks at HarperCollins Children’s Books/Amistad.
Brandon Massey, my mentor and friend. Dark Dreams at Horrorfind ’04 is still one of my greatest memories; thanks for making it happen.
Jennifer “Don’t Look Down” Bosworth, my West Coast sis who gives great advice and has the most comfortable futon I ever crashed on. Thank you for everything, but mostly for introducing me to Chimay Blue.
Becky and Austin Boyette, thank you for your early feedback and for being incredibly supportive through this whole process.
Thanks to the Harpies (special shout-out to my editorial sibling Ellen Oh) and the rest of the Lucky 13s (particularly Lenore Appelhans, who came through with some timely Spanish corrections in Fake ID . . . any mistakes are mine, not hers). Also, my fellow sleuths of @kidlitmysteries, and my friends at Sisters in Crime, Chesapeake (Teresa, Cindy, Maria, Michael, and Lyn).
Aimee L. Salter at Seeking the Write Life, Ken at Heroic Times, Stephanie Kuehn at YA Highway, Cindy Pon and Malinda Lo at Diversity in YA . . . you all inspire me in ways I don’t have the room to express here.
Thanks to the other industry veterans who have never turned me away when I needed help or advice: Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, Terence Taylor, Christopher Golden, Douglas Clegg, Brian Keene, Sheri Reynolds, and Daisy Whitney.
To Willette Hill and the Go On Girl! Book Club, you’re the best group of readers I’ve ever had the opportunity to spend time with. You throw a heck of a party, and any author lucky enough to get invited knows exactly what I’m talking about. I hope to be in your company again soon.
Last but not least, special thanks to some friends who have absolutely nothing to do with this industry, but have joined me for the ride because that’s just how they roll: Alton Jamison, Michael Frazier, Anthony McGlone, Erica Williams, Dawn and Rasheed Owens, Mrs. Nydia Arvelo, Andrea Gordon Gardner, Boni and Durant Kreider, Orlandrea Jamiel, Priscilla Artis-Lukoko, John Wiseman, Randall Kern, Nora Marien, Richard Le Master, Rashad Phillips, and many more.