Kate Prosswimmer, you are my fellow outlaw and partner in crime! I could not ask for a better person to be on this Royal Academy journey with. I love our process, and I love our brainstorming sessions! I am a lucky author indeed.
To the team at Sourcebooks, including Dominque Raccah, Todd Stocke, Steve Geck, Margaret Coffee, Heidi Weiland, Valerie Pierce, Sean Murray, Chris Bauerle, Beth Oleniczak, Heather Moore, Mallory Hyde, Stefani Sloma, Lizzie Lewandowski, Nicole Hower, and Cassie Gutman. I am so blessed to work with such amazing people. Thank you for all you do to spread the word about Royal Academy!
And to Mike Heath—I get so many questions about your incredible images for these fairy-tale books. Thank you for continuing to surprise me with the most incredible covers!
To Dan Mandel, my agent, without whom I’d be lost on this journey. Thank you for always helping me steer the ship in the right direction. I’m so lucky to be working with you.
I’m so thankful for this middle-grade and YA community that I hold so dearly, and have endless thanks for Elizabeth Eulberg, Kieran Scott (once more, with feeling!), Courtney Sheinmel, Katie Sise, Sarah Mlynowski, Julia Devillers, Lindsay Currie, Tiffany Schmidt, and extraordinary library friends Rose Brock, Kelly Rechsteiner, and Vanessa Schroeder.
To all friends and family who help me do what I do every day and make the juggling look easy (even when it’s not): Christi Lennon, Joanie Cook, Elpida Argenziano, Kristen Marino, Lisa Gagliano, AnnMarie Pullicino, Marcy Miller, my sister Nicole and my parents (for always stepping in and helping with the kids when I’m on tour—and for stopping in every library they see on road trips to see whether they carry my books!).
I can’t imagine living in Cinderella’s castle (a girl can dream!) without my boys: Mike, for the endless love, advice, and support; Tyler, for reading my work and always trying to make it more “exciting”; Dylan, the best cheerleader a mom could ask for; and my chihuahua writing partners, Jack Sparrow and Ben Kenobi.
Finally, to my readers: Nothing makes me happier than hearing from you! Whether it’s a note, an email, or a conversation we’ve had at a signing, I feel so blessed to meet you and share this fairy-tale adventure with you. I hope you’re enjoying your time in Enchantasia as much as I am.