They say it takes a village to raise a child. The same adage applies to novels. This story would not be what it is today without the help and support of many wonderful people.
A heartfelt thank-you to my first-draft readers, Darlene Beck-Jacobson, Martha Martin, and Jaime Cohen. You lent me your time, provided me with feedback, and kept me moving forward. And Valerie Sherrard, that little book of positive sure did the trick.
Thank you to the Ontario Arts Council for your generous support of this work via the Writers’ Reserve Program.
A special thank-you to the incredibly talented Sarah Watts for her deliciously creepy cover and illustrations.
To my wonderful children and awesome husband, Michael Cohen, thank you for putting up with my vacant stares, my three a.m. aha! moments, and the all-too-frequent omelet dinners, and especially for taking care of the endless piles of laundry. You are the reason I write.
John M. Cusick, words are not enough. You plucked my work out of the slush pile, guided me through round after round of cleansing revision, and kept the faith when mine dwindled. You are the best agent ever, a gifted writer, a great mentor, and a good friend. Without you, this story would have been stuck in Inn Between.
And last on this list, but by no means least, the biggest thank-you goes to my genius editor, Emily Feinberg, and everyone at Roaring Brook Press. Connecting with you, Emily, was like finding someone who loves my baby as much as I do. Your keen eyes, brilliant insight, and tireless enthusiasm have made this story sparkle—er, in a dark and creepy way, of course!