I wrestled with this story for a long time. Reimagining a well-loved and much-retold fairy tale without losing its heart was tricky, and the creation of a new story while staying within the confines of one of the world’s most familiar tales presented a set of challenges that I had never before faced in quite the same way. If I’ve had any success in meeting these challenges, it is largely due to the support, advice, and patience of my critique group (Shirley Amitrano, Thea Gammans, Candie Moonshower, Cheryl Mendenhall, Carole Stice, and Cheryl Zach); my perceptive and enthusiastic agent, Lara Perkins; my talented and energetic editor, Annie Stone; and always, my husband, Greg Giles.