To my first critique partners, Katie and Carolyn—As the very first people to believe in my story, you two will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for your encouragement and critique—as well as talking me through my writer’s block, helping me untangle complicated subplots, and reminding me these characters are special. Because of you, I finished my first draft; Serpent & Dove wouldn’t be here today without you.
To my first beta readers, Mystique_ballerina, Somethings-Here, fashionablady, BadlandsQueenHalsey, drowsypug, Djwestwood, Arzoelyn, Mishi_And_Books, reaweiger, lcholland-82700, laia233, saturday—， JuliaBattles, and BluBByGrl—Thank you for all your views, comments, and messages. I appreciated every single one.
To Brenda Drake, Heather Cashman, and the entire Pitch Wars team—Your incredible mentorship program ignited my writing career. Thank you.
To my Pitch Wars mentor, Jamie Howard—Without your vision, Serpent & Dove would be a much different story—and not in a good way. Thank you for believing in me and my story, and thank you for all the time and energy you devoted to us.
To my critique partners and sisters, Abby and Jordan—I adore you both. You came into my life at a critical juncture, and though we started as critique partners, we’re so much more now. I consider you both sisters. Thank you for walking beside me on this crazy journey, holding my hand when I was unsure, and encouraging me to continue when it would’ve been easier to turn back. Writing can be an incredibly isolating career, but you make me feel less alone.
To my writing friends Lindsay Bilgram, Madeline Johnston, Destiny Murtaugh, Abigail Carson, Kate Weiler, Jessica Bibi Cooper, Hannah Whitten, Layne Fargo, Allison L. Bitz, Laura Taylor Namey, Monica Borg, E.K. Thiede, Kimberly Vale, Elora Cook, Christina Wise, Isabel Ca?as, Kylie Schachte, Luke Hupton, Rachel Simon, and Lily Grant—Thank you for being such a supportive online community. You’re all wonderful, and I’m so grateful I stumbled upon each of you when I did.
To my Francophile, Catherine Bakewell—Your knowledge of the French language and culture enriched this story—especially those curse words! Lou and I are forever indebted to your foul mouth.
To my wonderful agent, Sarah Landis—I knew about three seconds into our first phone call that you were the agent for me. Your enthusiasm is contagious, and more important, you have this knack for putting me at ease—a difficult feat for a worrier like me! Your transparency and general warmth have been invaluable as I navigate the publishing industry. Thank you for always being in my corner.
To my agent siblings, Erin A. Craig, Jessica Rubinkowski, Meredith Tate, Julie Abe, Jennie K. Brown, Ron Walters, Elisabeth Funk—Your publishing knowledge and experiences have been such an important resource for me. Thank you for sharing your insight and encouragement!
To my beta readers, Erin Cotter, Margie Fuston, Megan McGee Lysaght, Lindsey Ouimet, Kylie Schachte, Emily Taylor, E. K. Thiede, Carol Topdjian, Kimberly Vale, and Christina Wise—I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to read early versions of Serpent & Dove. Your feedback—both the praise and the critique—was vital in shaping this story.
To my phenomenal editor, Erica Sussman—I’ll never find the right words to thank you for your unending patience and vision. As a writer, there’s always a small fear in handing your story to someone else. After our first brainstorming session, however, that fear disappeared. I trust you with my story completely—from my characters to my magic system to my world building. You are a true rock star. Thank you for loving this story as much as I do.
To my team at HarperTeen, Sarah Kaufman, Alison Donalty, Jessie Gang, Alexandra Rakaczki, Ebony LaDelle, Michael D’Angelo, Bess Braswell, Olivia Russo, Kris Kam, and Louisa Currigan—Thank you for believing in this story. I’ve been blown away by your skill time and time again, and I consider myself unbelievably lucky to be surrounded by such a talented team. Thank you for fulfilling my lifelong dream.
About the Author
Courtesy Shelby Mahurin SHELBY MAHURIN grew up on a small farm in rural Indiana, where sticks became wands and cows became dragons. Her rampant imagination didn’t fade with age, so she continues to play make-believe every day—with words now instead of cows. When not writing, Shelby watches The Office and reads voraciously. She still lives near that childhood farm with her very tall husband and semiferal children. Serpent & Dove is her debut novel. Visit her online at www.shelbymahurin.com.
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