Many people helped me bring NERDS to life. Revealing them will put their lives at great risk, but I still feel they deserve a hearty thank-you. First and foremost, my editor, Susan Van Metre (code name: Bookworm). Her imagination was just as important to this book as mine. I also want to thank my wife and literary agent, Alison Fargis (code name: Brainstorm), who demanded that I write it. Jason Wells (code name: Headliner) deserves a lot of credit for his tireless efforts to get these books into the right hands. I’d also like to thank Ethen Beavers (code name: Comicstrip) for his amazing art and for agreeing to come on this roller coaster with me. Joe Deasy (code name: Dr. Jeopardy) continues to be an amazing sounding board, and much awe and admiration to Chad W. Beckerman (code name: Masterpiece), whose inspired art direction produced a truly one-of-a-kind book. Special thanks to Howard Sanders and Lauren Meltzner (code names: Holly-Mood and Vine) at UTA. I also want to thank all the bullies who picked on me when I was a skinny, nervous kid. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have hidden in the library and found my true calling.