ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

No book is written alone. It might feel like it is, especially in those last rounds of rewrites when you can barely remember why you started writing the thing in the first place. But then, when it’s done and you look back at all of the work, you remember that you did not do it alone. I have a lot of people to thank for Orleans. First and foremost, my mother, for having the foresight to be born in New Orleans and taking me home to visit my grandparents often. My mother was a Katrina survivor, and it is because of her, and the things we both endured in those days after the storm, that this book exists at all.

I’d like to thank my editors on the book: Tim Travaglini, for being excited enough to give me my first shot at writing speculative fiction (always my goal as a writer, so thanks, Tim!); and to Shauna Fay, for bringing the book into the home stretch. Garrett Hicks, my manager, who believed in the story from the beginning. Many thanks also to a host of writer friends who listened to me moan, complain, and shout in ecstasy: Claire Dederer (who saw the deadline in my eyes); Rahna Reiko Rizzuto, who gave the book a tarot reading with interesting results; Amy, Vito, Ruby, Denise, and all the folks at Hedgebrook writers’ retreat on beautiful Whidbey Island, for housing and feeding me while I gave birth to the first draft. To Jason Ho, for listening to me without having laid eyes on a single page of writing, and still giving me good notes. To Gentleman Jim Silke, who, when it comes to storytelling, has the eyes of a hawk. To my husband, Kelvin, for reading the story over and over, and assuming I would simply get it done one day.

On the research front I must thank Dr. Noah Federer, child hematologist, for an interesting discussion about viruses over lunch, and Dr. Rebecca Mandel, for introducing me to him. Becky, you’re always good for a talk about diseases! To Alice Litt, my oldest friend, who happens to be a biology teacher, for telling me how to destroy a virus; and her research scientist sister, Sarah Connolly, for educating me on the concept of retargeting viruses to attack an infection. And to think, we saw Teen Wolf together. My, how you’ve grown!

Lastly, I’d like to thank the Coast Guard for listening when no one else would, and helping evacuate my mother from New Orleans five days after the storm, three days after the levee broke, and the day before her insulin ran out. New Orleans has my heart in many ways. May She live on forever.