I am so very grateful for all those who have contributed to A Sliver of Stardust and feel indescribably fortunate to work with such amazing and talented people.
I want to especially thank my agent, Laura Langlie, for her support and insight into the story; Erica Sussman and Stephanie Stein for their brilliant and creative editorial notes; Jakob Eirich for his breathtaking artwork, and the entire team at HarperCollins Children’s for their partnership and commitment to getting good books into the hands of readers. I know very little of the magic that turns the plain document I produce into the lovely book readers hold in their hands, but I deeply appreciate the contribution of all those who have made it possible.
Heartfelt thanks also to Joy McCullough-Carranza for bravely reading a very early draft, to Casey Walton for sharing his mad brainstorming skills with me, to Christy Goodman for cheering me on through writerly angst, to Renee Weathers for the gift of her loyal and longstanding friendship, to Steve and Ron for their truthful and life-giving insights, and to the many kindred spirits at Advent for your encouraging words when the writing process was less than magical. I am so thankful I get to know you and share life with each of you.
A few lines on this page always feels too small to properly thank my husband, Aaron. But hopefully the gratitude I feel comes through loud despite its littleness: Without your love and partnership, I wouldn’t be the person, or writer, that I am. Thank you. And to my boys, Griffin, Elijah, and Ransom: I’m so glad that you are you! You each are wonderful gifts, and I’m so happy to get to be your mom.
And, finally, to my readers: One of my favorite things about meeting other book lovers is the instant friendship that comes when I discover someone with whom I share a favorite story. As a writer, that feeling is magnified a thousand percent, and I am so happy to have shared this story-world with you. Thank you for reading.