Where does one start when one reaches the end? It has been a long—and yet remarkably short—journey full of friends both old and new, conventions and readings, and many a fine conversation over coffee or scotch. There are so many people to thank for this wonderful journey.
First are my beta readers. As usual, their feedback proved invaluable: Evan Braun, Troy Bucher, David Fortier, Virginia O’Dine, and Sherry Peters. I have been extraordinarily lucky to have such excellent feedback. These five helped me give you a better book. Mercedes Dobler gave me wonderful feedback on the Japanese scenes, which made me cut out an entire scene and replace it with something much better. Cliff Nielsen’s artwork is phenomenal. His vision of my work never ceases to amaze me. When I wrote about the shuttles I pictured an SR-71 Blackbird. At no time did I communicate that to Cliff, yet his imagery is dead on.
I have to once again thank Reg Kovac, who tore down and built my fence while I was finishing edits.
I don’t know if I have the words—a strange thing for a writer—to thank the team at DAW for all they have done. Sheila Gilbert took a chance with me, and without her edits, this book would not have been as strong. There are so many people behind the scenes that make what you are holding in your hands such an incredible thing.
Sara Megibow, my literary agent at kt literary, and Jerry Kalajian, my Hollywood agent at IPG, do so much behind-the-scenes work. Thank you so much!
And finally, I get to the teary part. My family has been so supportive I don’t even know where to begin. They allowed me to cut down on my full-time job so I could write more, are gentle when I rant and rave on how nothing I’m writing is working, bring me back down to earth when everything I’m writing is glorious, and force me into my office when the inevitable procrastination comes knocking. Jared and Ryan are teenagers now, and still show how proud they are, even when they interrupt my writing when I’m so engrossed in my make-believe world that I don’t hear what they are saying. Marnie has read countless copies of this series, catching logic issues, multiple spelling errors, and letting me know when what I have down on paper may not match what is in my head.