The Knight and the Moth (The Stonewater Kingdom, #1)(122)
Okay. On to the proper thanks.
To my husband, John, and my son, Owen. I think about Owen in his little yellow hat running next to our dog, Wally, on the beach, John’s hand in mine. What a wonderful, beautiful life we have.
To my family and friends, my greatest cheerleaders. Thank you for making me talk about my writing and for supporting it. I love you all so dearly.
To Whitney Ross, my agent, who reads all my early drafts and helps me more than words can express to get my stories in order. Every day is a day I am grateful to have you as a partner in this business. Your instincts and feedback and kindness and friendship are diamonds—I am made so rich to have them.
To Brit Hvide, my editor extraordinaire. Were this book a musical composition, I would be the frantic composer, scribbling notes and plunking madly upon my instrument, and you would be my metronome, my time signature, my key. You give me rhythm, you give me order, you give me perspective. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You are full of magic.
To Nadia Saward, my other editor extraordinaire, from whom I was also blessed to have feedback for this book. You are full of wisdom and encouragement—your notes on the romance had me kicking my feet with glee. I appreciate you so very much!
To Heather Baror-Shapiro, my foreign rights agent. You are phenomenal! Thank you for taking such great care of my books. I’m so lucky to have you on my team.
To Mary Pender, who has stepped in to handle all my merchandising. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I appreciate your insight and care toward my career so much.
To the teams at Orbit US and UK. I blinked, and now we are on our third book together! Time is funny, and life is too, and mine feels utterly splendid that I am afforded the privilege to write with you. My bias is showing, but Orbit books are truly my favorites.
To Kalie Cassidy, whom I called when I was sick and despairing and asked, in a very little voice, “Is this book any good?” “Yes. Of course. Now go sleep all day.” You are wise and unbelievably talented and take care of my soul more than you realize. You are my writing wife. The Wirt to my Greg. All things in this strange profession are bearable with you as my friend.
To Sarah Garcia. Well, well, well. Here I am, a proud little toad to have written another book. I hope you’re happy with yourself. And watch this—I’ll even be vulnerable a moment. I’m scared a lot of the time to make mistakes. To flail and be “bad” at things. So often I am accepting of yesterday’s Rachel while pinning today’s upon the stage plate of a microscope. But you’ve helped me be kinder to myself, and have therefore changed my perfectionism, my writing, and my life. Thank you. Every book I pen wears the seal of our work together.
To the artists out there, working by pen or paint or note or whatever instrument you choose. How beautiful you are. How resilient you remain in this tumultuous world, keeping to your craft. Thank you. I believe in you as I believe in love—eternally.
To my readers. Oh, how I adore you. You followed me into the mist, and now you walk with me through moonlight, into hamlets and over stones and past gowan flowers. I cannot express how much gratitude I have for each and every one of you—words simply fail me. Somehow, that feels just right.