ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The coloring book called The Florist actually exists. In the 1700s, fashionable ladies and gentlemen passed the time coloring botanical pictures. The drawings were remarkably accurate, and it appears the intent was to color them according to the real colors of the plants in nature. As a writer, I enjoyed reading the introduction to the book as well as the charming quote at the beginning of this book. I think English is far easier today! There are a few copies of The Florist still in existence, mostly in the hands of museums. If you would like to see what it looks like, you can find copies of the pages online at Peter H. Raven Library/Missouri Botanical Garden: http://botanicus.org/title/b11968564.

The tiny van Gogh sunflower is, to the best of my knowledge, fictitious. Although van Gogh did paint a series of sunflowers, this tiny one is a figment of my imagination, as is the rest of the story and the characters.

As always, there are many people to thank. My lovely editor, Wendy McCurdy, is always a pleasure to work with. I owe her thanks for allowing me to write this fun series. I’m so grateful that my agent, Jessica Faust, is always only a phone call away. She keeps me targeted and is an endless source of encouragement.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank TiJuana Odum. Without her, this book would never have been written.

Special thanks to Amanda Leonardi, who helped me come up with the name of the coloring club, Hues, Brews, and Clues!

And I am always grateful for the friendship of Susan Smith, Amy Wheeler, Betsy Strickland, Daryl Wood Gerber, and Janet Bolin. There’s nothing quite like friends to get you through the tough times.