Every book has a team of people who work extremely hard to bring it to readers. I’d like to thank Stephanie Elliott for helping me shine the light of this Fenestra world so brightly, and my agent, Rosemary Stimola, who keeps track of numerous threads. Thanks to Krista Vitola for her work, Emily Pourciau for spearheading the fantastic PR, Angela Carlino for such a wonderful vision, and Chad Michael Ward for the beautiful cover art. I am grateful to Richelle Mead and Gena Showalter, who were willing to give my work a chance and then lend their words to it. I know how busy you are and it means so much to me! To Mark, Kate, Tim, Sarah and Kris LaMar, who wandered the Feast to get the flavor for me—thank you! Sarah Diers for being the best Sherpa and chauffeur these bad legs could imagine. You made many things possible.
Every author needs cheerleaders, and I have some of the best: Barney and Beth Wick, Tara Kelly, Katie Ott, Jennifer Rasmussen, Trudi and Bill Trueit, Erika and Scott Jones, Becky Breeze, Carolyn McClamroch, Bob and Amy Kraft, the Veatches, Misty and Donnie Bittinger, Greg Edson, Diana McFadden, Mark Wick, Keith Wick, Sue Wiant, Pete Kizer. To Kari Yadro, who makes Barnes & Noble look good every day with her awesome dedication and professionalism: you are the best! To those who made the publication of Meridian so memorable: Lisa Bjork and the SWSF board, Linda Racicot, Mary McCleod, the Georges, the Kistlers, Lynn James, Robin Roberts, Pete O’Dell, Vanessa Link, the LMS Corduroy Bear Kids, the Reeds, LMS musicians with Jess Foley, Lynne Malecki, Molly and David Waterman, Susan Shira. The Lundgrens for the H1N1 rescue dinner, thank you. To GZL for every bit of inspiration I poured into Mistress. To my fantastic fans, who share their delight, their stories, and their connections with me, thank you—especially Aurora Momcilovich, Lindsay Sergi, Louisse Ang, and Maria Cabal. To the international agents, publishers, and translators who’ve helped bring my stories to readers around the globe: I am indebted to you for your enthusiasm. Thanks to the men and women of our military who served and protected while I wrote, especially Carl Herring, Jeff Morris, Amy Smith, Jane Miller, Demetrius Bussey, Linda Davis, Evan Davies, Naomi Lewis, Stephen Drake, Emanul Carter, Dennis Caliyo. Thanks to Brent and Joan Zefkeles, who supported the Puget Sound Area USO and shared their beloved Nicole Rachel Lehtinen with me. Eugene Ehrlich’s The Highly Selective Thesaurus for the Extraordinarily Literate and Simon Hertnon’s Endangered Words were both instrumental and pivotal for Rumi’s vocabulary. Thanks to the B-52s and the True Colors Tour, whose “Juliet of the Spirits” seeded my Juliet. Mom, thank you for all the candle sniffing, newspaper clipping, driving, listening, and loving. I am blessed.