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Thanks for being my champion.
All the amazing people at Egmont USA who decided to take a chance on me. Special thanks to
Regina Griffin, Elizabeth Law, Mary Albi, Nico Medina, and (of course) my brilliant and patient
editor, Greg Ferguson.
My copyeditor, Nora Reichard, whose painstaking work makes it look like I actually know how
to use a comma.
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Joel Tippie, who designed the breathtaking cover. I couldn't be happier with it.
My wonderful writing teachers over the years, including: Dean Hughes, Louise Plummer,
Virginia Euwer Wolff, John H. Ritter, Martine Leavitt, Randall Wright, and A. E. Cannon.
My critique friends: Gaylene Wilson, Kim Woodruff, Julie Hughes, Elena Jube, and Jamie
Wood, who forced me to finally rewrite the whole book--and then told me to make it even better.
Thanks for all of your advice and suggestions.
My writing posse: Emily Wing Smith, Kimberly Webb Reid, Sara Bolton, Valynne Maetani
Nagamatsu, and Brodi Ashton. Some people claim that writing is a solitary and lonely endeavor,
but you guys make it a blast. Thank you for always being willing to read, brainstorm, help
rewrite that @$&% scene (you know the one) over and over again, and for making me laugh all
the time. Here's to many more years of friendship and writing together!
My supportive, loving, and always-willing-to-bend-over-backwards-to-help-out parents: Nancy
and Tai Biesinger. And for the record, the mother in this book is in no way my own mother
(except for the ability to make divine turkey a la king), who is truly one of my best friends.
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My enthusiastic and helpful friends, neighbors, in-laws, immediate and extended family,
especially my siblings: Noreen, Tai, Brooke, and Quinn. Special thanks to Noreen for the many
early-morning walking/ brainstorming sessions and for many more hours of babysitting.
Additional thanks to my niece Whitney for being my mother's helper, my friend Rachel Headrick
for letting my boys play at her house and for letting me talk her ear off (I miss you already, dang
it!), Matt Kirby for his many words of wisdom, and James Dashner for showing this newbie the
author ropes.
My amazingly adorable (most of the time) children, who put up with my many hours of being
glued to the computer--and who aren't afraid to whack me in the head with light sabers when it's
time for me to stop working. Thanks for loving this crazy mom. I love you, too!!!
Last, but never ever least: my practically superhuman husband, Brick, who is my faithful reader,
editor, motivator, sounding board, fan, web designer, marketing guru, pseudo-psychiatrist, best
friend, and true love. Thank you for always believing in me, even in those moments when I don't
believe in myself. I will love you always.
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BREE DESPAIN
rediscovered her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to write
and direct plays for at-risk, inner-city teens from Philadelphia and New York. She currently lives
in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband, two young sons, and her beloved TiVo.You can visit
her online at www.breedespain.com .
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