This book needed a lot of help, and a lot of people deserve thanks, so bear with me!
First of all, a big thank-you to my husband, who wanted to go on a cruise, but didn’t complain when I announced that our vacation that year would be a research trip to Romania. You, sir, are an excellent traveling companion! (I’m sorry about the food . . .) Thanks also to Amy Finnegan, who suggested that I set the book in the 1800s that fateful day as we rode the zoo carousel with our kids. Special thanks to my kids, too, who first put up with my leaving them for two weeks to travel to a place that probably seemed farther away than the moon, and then with my being gone every afternoon for months while I did the actual writing. I definitely need to give a shout-out to my awesome babysitters: Miranda, Ethan, Kelsea, Elisabeth, Emilie, and Sadie! And thanks, too, to the fantastic library staff at my local library, who make it such a delightful place to work and browse.
A great big thank-you hug goes to Mary Kate Castellani, my editor. This is the first book that Mary Kate and I did together from beginning to end, and it’s been a joy. Many thanks also to Cindy, Cristina, Erica, Emily, Beth, Lizzy, Linette, Brett, and all my Bloomsbury friends. And to my editors who read the book but moved onward and upward before the work began, Michelle Nagler and Caroline Abbey, who both made me cry happy tears by immediately saying, “I just love Lou so much!”
Double and triple thanks served à la mode go to my agent, Amy Jameson, who not only encouraged me to write this book, but was so patient while I mulled and dithered and pondered over it for years.
And of course a big thank-you to all my family. My husband (again!), my parents and siblings, in-laws, and the kids (again!), who always remain so loving and supportive, no matter how crazy things get! I love you all!