After a long creative fallow period, A Fragile Enchantment rekindled my sense of joy, wonder, and confidence as a writer. For that, it holds a very special place in my heart. Kit and Niamh were my stalwart, beloved companions over the past few years, grounding me during a very stressful time in my life. There are many people who helped make their story what it is today, and I am immensely grateful to each and every one of them!
To my editor, Sarah Grill, for your keen editorial insights, sense of humor, and our fragile en-chat-ments! Your feedback pushed me to make this the best book it could be, and I am so proud of the work we did together.
To my agents, Claire Friedman and Jess Mileo, for your steadfast support and guidance over the years. As always, you saw the glimmer of potential and pulled it from the murk of my initial idea. Y’all are seriously the best!
To the InkWell foreign rights team: Lyndsey Blessing, Hannah Lehmkuhl, and Jessie Thorsted. Thank you for being all around lovely to work with and helping to share my work with readers around the world.
To my wonderful team at Wednesday Books: Rivka Holler, Alyssa Gammello, Sara Goodman, Eileen Rothschild, Brant Janeway, Devan Norman, Eric Meyer, Melanie Sanders, Lena Shekhter, Kerri Resnick, and NaNá Stoelzle. Thank you to Kelly Chong (@afterblossom_art) for the cover art of my dreams!
To Louise Lamont, for your kindness and for finding the perfect home for this book in the UK! It’s a joy to work with you and the Hachette UK team, including Polly Lyall Grant, Aliyana Hirji, and Bec Gillies.
To the First Flight for making my wildest, most impossible dreams come true. Words cannot express how much I appreciate all of you: Cossette, Taylor, Isa, Sequoia Cron (@rainbowbookdragon15), Lydia Byers, Heaven (@heavenlybibliophile), Tori (@toriandbooks), Lindsay (@PawsomeReads), Agavny Vardanyan (@agavnythepigeon), Kelsey Rae Musick, Stephanie (@stephdaydreams), Paola Camacho, Holden Fra, Paola (@anotsowickedwhich), Phoebe Ellman, Megan McDonald, Ena Jarales, Diane (D. E. Ellerbeck), Ashley Dang, Kelcie Mattson (@nerdilyinclined), Allie Williams, Paige Lobianco (@pagebypaigebooks), @zoereadss, Kashvi Kaul at Misty Realms, Holly Hughes, Courtney Bentzoni, Mariya Tuchinskaya (@msbookworld), Nihaarika, Mansi (@astraquill), Birdie Woodnyx, Diana (@chasingchapters_), Amy Sahir, Liz Griffin (@lizgriffinwords), Julie at One Book More, Isabelle Colantuonio (@isabellesbookshelf), Katie Laban, Courtney Boylan, Leah T, Grace (@bookswithgraceann), Kalie Barnes-Young, and Jae (@justjaesday).
To Courtney Gould. This one’s for you, pal! I genuinely couldn’t have done it without you. May every writer have a friend as talented, caring, funny, and willing to go sicko mode on word count goals as you are.
To Alex Huffman-Jones, my forever first reader! Your encouragement, generosity, and feedback mean the world to me. Thank you for seeing the magic in Niamh and Kit’s story.
To Rachel Morris. It must be recorded for posterity: you’re always right! I really was not happy about deleting the entire first act and changing the tense, but here we are. Thank you for your brilliant notes, your boundless enthusiasm, and of course, your counsel on Kit’s arc.
To the Mighty Five: Audrey Coulthurst, Helen Wiley, Elisha Walker, and Rebecca Leach. Thank you all for your endless patience and support as I drafted (and complained all the while). Audrey and Helen, you gave me much-needed perspective when I felt very lost and very sad. Helen, this book would not be what it is without you.
To Kalie Cassidy, Emily Grey, Charlie Lynn Herman, Christine Arnold, Skyla Arndt, and Laura Brooke Robson. Your fingerprints are indelibly on this book; thank you so much for your notes! I am so lucky to know all of you.
To Mitch Therieau, for your undying support, love, and belief in me.
Lastly, to you! Thank you so much for picking up A Fragile Enchantment. Whether this is the first or third book of mine you’ve read, I appreciate your support more than I can express.