I have made some great new friends in the process of writing this book, and I’m indebted to the following people for giving me a glimpse into their lives as shop owners and busy women. Thanks to Mona Newbauer, the owner of 1 Angel Place Chocolate Bar in Langley, Washington, for sharing with me a day in the life of a chocolatier. Mona, your truffles are to die for, and if I had to get up at the crack of dawn like you do, I would die. Huge thanks also to Valerie Wood at Material Girls Quilt Shop in Silverdale, Washington, for showing me how much is involved in running a quilt shop. What a labor of love! And speaking of labors of love, huge thanks to Helen Ross, überquilter, for her patient explanations of the complexities of quilting. Thanks, too, to Kathy Nordlie and Maria Parra-Boxley for the wonderful candy recipes you contributed. Thanks to the Bainbridge Island Brain Trust (Susan Wiggs, Suzanne Selfors, Elsa Watson, Carol Cassella, and Anjali Banerjee) for their invaluable input. And, finally, thanks to Paige Wheeler, my agent, and Rose Hilliard, my editor, and all the wonderful people at St. Martin’s Press who continue to make writing such an enjoyable adventure.