If Charles Dickens, Anaïs Nin, and the other writers we feature hadn’t been two-timers, bigamists, risk takers, and unabashed romantics—resulting in love lives that make for great reading—Writers Between the Covers wouldn’t exist. We owe a huge thanks to three people who aided us in bringing their stories into print: our agent, Dan Lazar, for his unwavering support and enthusiasm; Becky Cole, whose editorial vision created a livelier (and more salacious) book; and assistant editor Kate Napolitano, who turned grace under pressure into an art form as she shepherded the book to completion.