I have the best support system a person could ask for and I’m terrified I’m going to forget names, so I’ll say it now—if I don’t remember you here I still love you and thanks for everything.
To my husband, Don, for your unwavering love and support throughout the years, for your position as chief science advisor of the house, and for the numerous grammatical arguments (that you usually win). I love you, forever and always. To my son, Benjamin, for your excitement and for buckling down at school so I didn’t have to worry about you. To my parents, for my life and love of reading and always being there no matter what. To my sisters—blood and heart—for being absolutely fabulous. To my brothers—blood and heart—for being rock solid.
To my critique partner and amazing friend, C. J. Redwine—you know there’s too much to write here. Thank you for everything. To my critique partner and shisuta, Lisa DiDio—your brutal honesty and the magical way you get my writing has made all the difference. This book wouldn’t exist without you. To my critique partner and logic checker, Ana Ramsey—thanks for always asking the tough questions. To my mentor and friend Yasmine Galenorn—thank you for all the years of support and love.
To my agent, Andrew Zack, for all your patience as we went through draft after draft and for seeing the value of the story I was trying to tell and all your work to make this happen. I couldn’t have done any better than to convince you to represent me. To Susan Barnes, Jenni Hill, Lindsey Hall, Anne Clarke, and everyone else at Orbit Books who’ve worked to make this book amazing, thanks for your faith and your enthusiasm.
To all those who read early drafts and provided me with valuable feedback, there’s too many names and I know I’ll forget some but I wanted to especially mention Beena, Wendy, and the Jennifers for your important and delightful commentary in the early days. To all my other friends who have so enthusiastically supported me over the years. I am very lucky to have you in my life. I love you all.
And finally to you. Yes, you reading this right now. Thanks for letting me tell you this story.