ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

With heartfelt thanks:

To my editor, Janine O’Malley, for loving Rose and Mavis from the get-go;

To the rest of my FSG team, for their hard work and much-appreciated contributions: Melissa Warten, Aimee Fleck, Jen Bricking, Jennifer Sale, Melissa Zar, and Kelsey Marrujo;

To my agent, Barbara Markowitz, and her husband, Harvey, for everything;

To Michele Kophs, my event coordinator, for keeping me organized and sane;

To my husband, Willy, for never complaining about eating leftovers;

To my son, Grady, just because;

To my Asheville writers group, The Secret Gardeners, for being kindred spirits and dear friends;

To my sister, Linda, for traveling this rocky road of life with me;

To my niece, mean ole Amanda Simm, for being my Asheville family;

To Monika Schroeder, for being my grumpy companion in the balcony;

And to all the parents, teachers, and librarians who connect young readers with books.

It really does take a village.

Thank you all.