When I was nine years old, my uncle gave me a copy of Ramona Forever, by Beverly Cleary. He inscribed the book:
To Heather, just for being Heather
Love, Uncle Butch
It was a gift I treasured, and still have, in large part because of the inscription. And it was that copy of Ramona Forever that I was reading to my daughter when I first got the idea for The Legend of Hobart.
Thank you to the members of my family for cultivating my love of books through good stories, inscribed hardbacks, and time curled up on the couch reading together. I love to write because I love to read. And I love to read because of all of you.
Thank you to all of the kids who served as fearless beta readers for this book. And to Hannah for drawing the first illustration of Sir Rupert of Flamegon.
Thanks to Julia Tomiak, Carey Evans, and Richael Ighodalo for your thoughts and ideas. And to Lara Kennedy for your editing prowess.
And as always, to Tom and our girls, thank you for your love and encouragement through this bumpy journey we call life.
1 Peter 4:10