Thank you to all the wonderful people who helped me create Stormriders.

Thank you

to my special readers Hannah and Yianni, Jemima and Miranda, Sophie and Elissa

to my inspirational editors Sarah Brenan and Rosalind Price

to my sister Tamar who always helps me find the wood among the trees

to Dennis King for his advice on Old Irish

to my incredible husband Gary for his enthusiasm and valuable suggestions

and

to the grade 5 class at Grimwade House, Melbourne Grammar, who loved my first unpublished draft of Runestone and gave me the confidence to finish writing the series!

Anna Ciddor

Melbourne, January 2004