I find it hard to believe I was lucky enough to have one book published, let alone to be here again, a year later, still supported, guided, and talked down from the ledge by the following people:

My agent, Claire Wilson, who has handled all of my “Claire. Claire. Help me” emails with such grace and patience. Half of the reason I haven’t lost my mind in the past year is because I am lucky enough to have you on my side. Thank you. And thanks again to Lexie Hamblin, I will miss you, and Rosie Price, who has it all to come …

Team Sin Eater at Scholastic UK, and in particular my splendid UK editors, Genevieve Herr and Emily Lamm. Having one editor who gets what you’re trying to do is pretty lucky, having two is just jammy. I am that jammy. Here is a fun story: Early on in the editing process they sent me a list of edit suggestions, which I then argued against. Every. Single. Point. And my lovely editorial team (including Mallory Kass in the US) simply replied saying, “Okay. We trust you. You know the story best. If you say it won’t work, we know you’ll find another way.”

Every single suggestion they made ended up in the book, one way or another. Every single suggestion they made was the right call. Because as I was editing, I realized I might know the story best, but I was far from the only person that knew it. They could see what I couldn’t, and The Sleeping Prince is so much better for it. I am so lucky to have these guys as my editors, and that they trusted me. I can never thank them enough for that and I’m so proud of what we made here.

Once again Jamie Gregory made me the most perfect cover, and I should probably offer him my soul or something. Jamie, I would if I had one. Magical Publicist Rachel Phillipps, who can literally work miracles and is one of the greatest people in the world. Thank you for being brilliant. Always brilliant. Pete Matthews, Team Sin Eater project manager and proofreader extraordinaire.

Also thanks to David Sanger, Fi Evans, Sam Selby Smith, the Rights team, and everyone else who has worked hard on my behalf behind the scenes. One day I will know all of your names and I will fill pages of acknowledgements with them.

On the other side of the world at Scholastic Inc., millions of thanks need to go to Mallory Kass, who, as mentioned above, has offered the kind of support every writer dreams of, as well as lending me her apartment in New York for a night. And buying me cheesecake. And wine. Thank you. And also to Saraciea Fennell, Bess Braswell, and everyone else who has supported me, in a non-wine way.

Thanks to my lovely writing-friends-who-are-now-just-friends, especially Robin Stevens, crit partner extraordinaire. Massive thanks to my bros Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Alexia Casale, CJ Daugherty, Catherine Doyle, and Katie Webber, for a lot of fun and support and laughter over the past year.

Thanks in particular to the following people who have done at least one or more amazing things for me this year: the Lyons Family, and the Allports too, Sophie Reynolds, Denise Strauss, Emma Gerrard, Lizzy Evans, Mikey Beddard, Bevin Robinson, Stine Stueland, Neil Bird, Franziska Schmidt, Katja Rammer, Julie Blewett-Grant, Romana Bicíková, Jim Dean, Lucy Powrie, Kate Ormand, Leigh Bardugo, Nina Douglas, Sofia Saghir, Chelley Toy, Laura Hughes, Auntie Penny, Uncle Eddie and all, Steven, Kelly and co., Auntie Cath and Uncle Paul. You are all magnificent.

The very biggest thanks of all go to Emilie Lyons: the DCI Eugene Morton to my Sheriff Dan Anderssen. Bem bem bem … Really glad we didn’t get arrested in Portugal; let’s definitely not get arrested again. I’m also so terribly excited for you to see the All-New Shabby-Chic Melseum.

Finally, Javert.

I did not forget you. I did not forget your name.