There are several people who were instrumental in the evolution of this book, and I am deeply indebted to all of them.
My husband is always my first and last reader. And without him I wouldn’t have made that first trip to Scotland, where my family and I fell in love with the landscape and the culture.
Sharon Aguanno, Kathleen Charon, and Missy Schenck found mistakes I didn’t catch and asked probing and thoughtful questions that made me work harder to make The House on Candlewick Lane a better book.
Martin Biro and the many other talented editors, artists, and professionals at Kensington Publishing spend their days working with people like me to bring dreams to fruition, and their support is invaluable.
Many years ago I spent one semester as an intern at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Arlington, Virginia. Until my time there, I didn’t realize that familial kidnappings are by far the most prevalent type of kidnapping in the United States. Though it is essential to teach our children about stranger danger, it is also important to know that a child is far more likely to be kidnapped by a family member or close family friend than a stranger. You can learn more about the work done at the NCMEC on their website at missingkids.com.