My profound gratitude to everyone who helped me climb Sand Mountain — not something I could ever do on my own: Bucky McMahon, Heather Montanye, and Pamela Ball; wonderful Kelly Sonnack and the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency; Candlewick Press and the gifted Kaylan Adair; my daughters Maggie, Eva, Claire, and Lili; and my wife and partner, Janet Marshall Watkins, who read, critiqued, edited, and reread with patience, grace, and love.