Thank you first and foremost to Rick Riordan for selecting my book to be part of this amazing imprint and for writing such a wonderful introduction. It made me cry when I first read it. I am so deeply grateful that I get to share this particular story with readers, one filled with Taiwanese legends and folklore, as well as food and traditions.
To my editor, Rebecca Kuss: Thank you for understanding from the start the type of story that I wanted to tell and for helping me shape Ruby’s book into a much better one. I could not imagine a more perfect editor to work with on this project.
Thank you to Rachel Brooks, for continuing to be my agent extraordinaire, and supporting my many random ideas and concepts, whatever they may be.
So much appreciation to the Rick Riordan Presents team for all your work on bringing this book to life. Thank you to Assistant Editor Ash I. Fields, Managing Editors Sara Liebling and Iris Chen. Thank you to Guy Cunningham for copyediting. The sales team: Andrea Rosen, Vicki Korlishin, Michael Freeman, Lebria Casher. The marketing team: Holly Nagel, Danielle DiMartino. The School and Library team: Dina Sherman, Bekka Mills, Maddie Hughes. Publicity: Crystal McCoy and Daniela Escobar. Many, many thanks to ZIPCY for making such a stunningly terrifying cover, as well as Zareen Johnson for the cover design and working with me to perfect the interiors and the Chinese text.
This book would not be possible without the inspirations of the Taiwanese authors that I greatly admire: 笭菁 (linea) and 星子 (teensy).
I’m thankful to Kat Cho, Axie Oh, and Janella Angeles, who I will always consider to be my mentors. For seeing something in my summer camp horror story, and for encouraging me to keep going. And to Rebecca Schaeffer, who told me to never give up on my horror dreams.
Thank you to Kate Alice Marshall and Ava Reid for your kind words. I continue to be huge fans of your work.
Many thanks to Bob of A Wok Around Chinatown and the guides of Chinatown Wonders at the Heart of the City Festival for sharing your vast knowledge of Chinatown’s history, buildings, and food.
Thank you to the Chinatown Together team for your collaboration and for working hard toward the goal of an accessible and welcoming Chinatown. Thank you to Queenie Choo of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. and Beverly Ho of Yarrow Society for the generosity of your time and knowledge.
Thank you to Yilin Wang for wandering around Vancouver with me. May we discover more secret temples and hidden realms!
I’m grateful to have my writing friends—Nafiza Azad and Roselle Lim, for always having words of encouragement and inspiration.
To Mimi, for always being there to listen to my late-night rants, for putting up with my horror movie sessions, and for teaching me about sisterhood (fine, I guess the next bubble tea is on me).
And so much love to my beloved family: my husband, Aaron, and my daughters, Lyra and Lydia. I do it all for you.