Acknowledgements

This was a book that very nearly didn’t happen, due to a number of factors, so I’d like to take a moment to thank the writing community at large for rallying around me during a difficult time in my life. Thank you especially to my ko-fi members: Lau, Tyler, Nix, Han, Valmont, DC and Mia whose financial contributions go a long way towards helping me stay afloat.

I also want to give a thank you to those who beta-read the book: Valmont (again), Lau (again), Tyler (again), Timi, and Rose. Your feedback was immensely encouraging and what kept me from giving up on this series entirely.

Thank you once again to Eeva Nikunen for lending your incomparable artistic skill to this series. When the Stars Alight would not have made it nearly as far without you and I cannot sing your praises enough to all who become enamoured with your work on these covers. My condolences to the loss of your studio assistant, Willow, whose mischievous pencil-stealing ways I will dearly miss seeing on Instagram.

Thank you to Molly Rookwood for your enduring enthusiasm to work with me on this series. As an author, it means a lot to me to have an editor on board who loves and cherishes this story and these characters, and to work with someone who respects my vision. Knowing how committed you are to collaborating with me on this really helped to lift my spirits last year and I’m looking forward to finishing off this narrative with you.

Finally, thank you to the readers who have decided to return for the second instalment of this series. It means a lot to me to have your loyalty and to know there are people out there who are eager to read more about Laila, Darius, and their journey together as characters. You’re the ones extending this series’ lifespan and know that I cherish every kind word, message, fanwork, and am keeping an increasingly large folder of screenshots to turn back to when my moods are low.