Our agent, Marly Rusoff, provided unwavering enthusiasm and insights that were crucial to the completion of this novel, as was the support of Michael Radulescu. We were fortunate to work with an editor as smart and enthusiastic as Jennifer Brehl, who made the book better than it was before. We are especially grateful for Mary Schuck’s stunning jacket design, and for the support of Lisa Gallagher, Ben Bruton, and Sharyn Rosenblum at William Morrow. In Prato, we had the gracious help of Claudio Cerretelli, Simona Biagianti, Odette Pagliai, and Paolo Saccoman. Daniel G. Van Slyke, associate professor of church history at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, patiently answered our many questions.
The opportunity for us to write this novel together was nothing short of miraculous. These pages spring from a friendship that goes beyond words, to shared bonds that stretch from the mystical to the mundane. We are each blessed by the love of a kindred spirit who made this collaboration an enriching, life-affirming journey.
Professor Michael Mallory of Brooklyn College first introduced me to the art of Fra Filippo Lippi, and my professors at the Institute of Fine Arts instilled in me my knowledge of art history and my faith in myself as a writer on art. My husband, Eric Schechter, gave me endless support, and, despite being of Eastern European Jewish descent, is the finest Italian cook I have ever met. My daughters Isabelle, Olivia, and Anais sweeten the pot, always. I thank all of the following for their support and their friendship, which in ways large and small also helped to make this novel possible: Alison Smith, Monica Taylor, Pilar Lopez, Katica Urbanc, Neil and Kerry Metzger, Laura Berman, Mark Fortgang, Lisa Rafanelli, Françoise Lucbert, Barbara Larson, Robert Steinmuller, and Marilyn Morowitz.
My life is peopled with friends and relatives whose words, wisdom, vision, and creativity are daily nourishment. Writers (and readers) Emily Rosenblum, Toni Martin, and Anne Mernin gave me ongoing support and encouragement, and Nadine Billard never turned away my phone calls, no matter how dithering. My children, John and Melissa, have become expert at blocking all communications to my third-floor office when I am working, and I’m forever grateful for their love and respect. The grace that my dear friends Kathleen Tully and Matt Stolwyk each brought to their careful readings of the manuscript is a testament to their generous spirits. Thanks also to the many publishing people and teachers who have helped me along the way, especially Larry Ashmead, Jennifer Sheridan, Tavia Kowalchuk, Lisa Amoroso, Margo Sage-El and the staff at Watchung Booksellers, Jed Rosen, and Jagadisha, whose yoga studio is the most pleasant 105-degree room I have ever visited. My sisters and extended family, especially Donna, Linda, John, Paula, Andrea, and my mother-in-law, Rosemarie Helm, are ballast for my creative flights. And Frank, my husband, is a true gentleman who makes all things possible for me.