Acknowledgments

It’s always difficult to split up the work when collaborating, especially when Cohen insists he does almost all the writing (no you don’t, Jeff!), but it’s not the authors who are the unsung heroes here. They’re sung plenty.

Those whose names don’t appear on the cover do their jobs beautifully and deserve some credit for that. So thanks to the wonderful Terri Bischoff, who literally (and we mean that literally) made it possible for you to meet Samuel & Co. It’s always a joy to send the manuscript off to Terri because we know she enjoys seeing what the gang is up to this time. And occasionally she lets us write a book where nobody gets killed.

Nicole Nugent, who oversees the editing of the book (by overseeing, we mean she does the editing of the book), turns what we write into something you can read without wondering what those two maniacs might be talking about. You’re invaluable, Nicole, and we appreciate it.

Of course we are crazy about our agent, Josh Getzler, and all at HSG Agency, who see to it that we can afford to keep doing this for a living. Your enthusiasm and your sincere care for the work take you beyond the realm of “agent” and into the area of “friend,” and we can’t say enough about that.

Thanks to Cassie Kanzenbach, who did the book format, to Ellen Lawson for the cover design (we are hopeless with cover ideas and always knocked out by the final artwork) and to James Steinberg/Gerald & Cullen Rapp for the illustrations on the cover. Thanks so much for making the books look good enough to interest a browser in a store. If they pick it up because it looks so good, that’s on you and we are very grateful.

Reviewers who have been kind to us: You make a dreary day brighter. Reviewers who think we could do better: We can’t possibly say you’re wrong, and hope to improve with each try.

To all readers, everywhere, who have ever read one of our books: You are the reason we do this. It ain’t easy to sit in a room and make something up out of thin air. The idea that there are those who actually get some enjoyment out of the final product is what keeps us going. You have our eternal thanks.

—E.J. Copperman and Jeff Cohen

July 2017