AS USUAL, too many people deserve to be thanked. Between limitations of memory and organization, and restrictions on space, I could never thank everyone individually in this paragraph. I hope I’ve managed to otherwise show those I don’t name here that I’m ever grateful for all they do. Still, I’ll make a stab at naming a few notables. Thank you, Anne Regan, Dawn Johnson, and all the expert staff at Harmony Ink Press. Thanks, Catt Ford, for wielding your artistry on my covers. Thanks to beta readers, and to the young reviewers who read the earlier books and encouraged me to keep writing this series. Of course, I have friends and family and they do wonders for me and around me every day. You three grandsons, Andre, Collin, and Brenden, you help me more than you know—thank you. And Jamie, thank you for sharing your love of books and fantasy—enthusiasm is catchy.