To say that this trilogy’s been a wild ride is an understatement. I don’t think I’ve ever gone through so many boxes of Kleenex, and I suspect I’ll think about these characters and what has become of them for quite awhile.
Offering my thanks to the many people who’ve made this journey possible seems so little for those who’ve given so much, but my gratitude for both their belief in me and hard work in helping these books see the light of day is nearly boundless. First and foremost, my editor, Greg Ferguson, deserves a medal for the hours he put into going through these manuscripts with a flea comb. I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard either; Greg’s a guy who’s not above getting so wrapped up in the story that his comments practically scream off the page: But I want to know what happens next, and I want to know right NOW! (Heh-heh: gotcha.)
To my She-To-Whom-No-One-Else-Holds-A-Candle agent, Jennifer Laughran, a woman who continues to not only watch my back but has this uncanny knack of making the right call at exactly the right time … you know, when you’re right, you’re right. And, thanks: I needed that.
For all the wonderful folks, past and present, at Egmont USA with whom I’ve had the great good fortune to work, special thanks go yet again:
To Elizabeth Law, a woman who knows how to make lemonade from lemons: You. Me. Dinner.
To Ryan Sullivan, crackerjack copy editor and all-around fan: Great catches, man. Your love for this series really came through.
To Katie Halata, Mary Albi, and Alison Weiss for being ever-available, tweeting your fingers off, answering questions (even on weekends!), and taking care of business no matter what the hour: I owe each of you a dry martini, and probably three. (Although, yeah, I admit that when you volunteered to help during your honeymoon, Katie … well, gosh, I didn’t know whether to be grateful or worried. Priorities, girlfriend.)
To Deb Shapiro: Thank you for organizing my life. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
To all the Random House team members of sales and marketing out there in the trenches: Thank you for getting my work in front of readers and giving these books their best shot.
My deepest thanks also go to my publishers abroad, who took a chance on this trilogy and dedicated so much of their time and energy on its behalf. A very special shout-out to Niamh Mulvey, Roisin Heycock, Alice Hill, and the rest of the production team at Quercus UK: Tea was lovely, but those zombie cocktails were brilliant. I do believe I’ve recovered enough for a repeat.
To Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch: You were right. I was ready.
To my husband, David: Come on, admit it. You’ll miss my shaking you awake at 2 a.m. to discuss a plot point; you know you will. So … okay, then. Must be time for another series.
And, lastly, to all the bloggers, fans, Twitterati, and Facebook friends from around the world, who shared their love for the series with me and anyone who would listen: Thank you so much for having the courage to reach out and let me know how this trilogy has touched you. I have loved living and making the journey with you. Here’s my world, and welcome to it.