Acknowledgments are both fabulous and terrible to write. Putting them on paper makes me feel warm and fuzzy about all of the generosity and true friendship in my life and reminds me how lucky I am to know so many lovely people. On the other hand, it makes me anxious because I’m afraid I’ll forget some of them. So, if your name isn’t here and it should be, know that it’s because I was having a selfish, blank sort of moment, not because I don’t appreciate you.
First of all, my editor, Sarah McCabe, and her use of all caps and italics and general ANGER at certain members of the Shatter the Suns cast, is probably one of my favorite things that has ever happened. It’s so nice to have fictional people to hate. Working with an editor in general is such a learning experience, and I count myself lucky to have one who is so smart, who is so quick, and who I actually like. Victoria Wells-Arms is next on my list for believing in me and this series before anyone else did.
David Field and Aaron Limonick gave me the best cover an author could ask for. In fact, the whole team at Simon Pulse is the absolute best to work with, and I can’t go without mentioning them: many thanks to Mara Anastas, Chriscynethia Floyd, Liesa Abrams, Jessica Handelman, Michael Rosamilia, Katherine Devendorf, Rebecca Vitkus, Sara Berko, Lauren Hoffman, Caitlin Sweeny, Alissa Negro, Anna Jarzab, Jennifer Wattley, Christina Pecorale and the rest of the Simon & Schuster sales team, Michelle Leo and her team, Nicole Russo, and Samantha Benson. These are the folks who make dreams come true.
Without my fabulous writing group, Kristen, Cameron, and Dan, this book would have never quite started breathing, and Sev would be significantly more prone to sexual innuendo (even if it was unintentional). The Wellies: Rebecca, Elizabeth and Hillary, who muscled through the second draft of this book and didn’t even spit in my hair when they saw the word count, and also McKelle George, who did a last-minute read for me when I was in full panic mode. For that, and for all of you, I am forever grateful.
Thanks to the members of the writing community here in the Valley who spend so much time pepping each other up and being the best sort of people to hang out with.
The people most deserving of acknowledgment are, of course, my family members. They put up with me and my books on a daily basis. To my kids, who have already started writing books of their own and disappear into their rooms to have “writing group,” I can’t wait to see what you do with yourselves. My husband makes writing possible, listens to all of the weird things that come into my head without thinking I’ve come undone (and is able to tell me when I haven’t come quite undone enough), and doesn’t mind when I get up in the middle of the night to write things down. There aren’t enough thanks in the world for such a perfect, wonderful partner in life.
And thank you to all the readers who fell in love with Sev, June, Howl, and Tai-ge and came back for round two to see what kinds of new messes they could get themselves into. It still blows my mind that other people get lost in the world I made up in my head.