ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This is the book of my heart. It would not have been possible without the help of numerous individuals.

First, I owe a planet of thanks to my agent, Alison Fargis, who believed in me when I was close to giving up. Equal thanks are offered to Kathy Huck, my brilliant editor. You both helped me turn this story into the one I truly wanted to tell.

Thank you to the whole team of designers, marketers, publicists, and book lovers at St. Martin’s Press for helping me share my story. Thank you also to the lovely ladies at Stonesong for your support and enthusiasm.

All the words in all the books cannot express my thanks to Jennifer Rhee, my best friend and confidante. Thank you for your patience, your guidance, and your laughter. Emma Castor and Karen Casteloes, thank you for reading my work, even when it was horrible. Ashley Harger, thank you for being one of my first readers, and my very first friend.

My deepest gratitude to Kelly Kehoe, John Hansen, MarcyKate Connolly, and all the others who saw Extraction through its good days and bad days, and helped it grow. Ríoghnach Robinson, thank you for your wit. I’ll never forget that your words inspired this novel.

Many thanks to the wonderful community at Agent Query Connect, and to all my fabulous Twitter friends.

Thank you to the teachers who encouraged me to pursue my dreams over the years, especially Gloria Ciriza, Robert Kaechele, John Graber, Peter Cirino, and Stuart Voytilla. Thank you to the teachers whose lectures I failed to pay attention to because I was writing. (I truly apologize.)

Mom, Dad, Daniel, Elisabeth, Julianne, and extended family, thank you for your endless love and support. Michelle, thank you for the stories you shared with me when we were young, which inspired me to become a writer.

Thank you, God, for I am nothing without you.

And thank you, reader. I hope this book will help you as much as it helped me.