ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A few years back, I started a journey into the dark with a girl who didn’t yet have a name. I’ve been lucky to have wonderful people holding me up and cheering me on every step of the way.
TEAM SCIENCE(!)
The funny thing about the trick Alina pulls by bending light is that it’s one of the most sound bits of science in these books. In the real world, it’s called “invisibility cloak technology” (which makes me happy on a lot of levels). Google it, and prepare to have your mind blown. Peter Bibring suggested it to me, and Tomikyana is named after his daughter Iris Tommiko. Harper Seiko: I promise to get your name into the next book. I also need to shout out Peter’s wife, Michelle Chihara, who is my dear friend and a wonderful writer. When the Grisha trilogy sold to Henry Holt, I danced in her kitchen. That is not a euphemism. Many thanks to John Williams for the spark that led to the acoustic blanket.
TEAM WORDY
Noa Wheeler and I have haggled over titles, bonded over books, and colluded over dumplings. Thank you for making the hard work so much fun. Huge thanks also to Jon Yaged, Jean Feiwel, Laura Godwin, Angus Killick, Elizabeth Fithian, Lucy del Priore, April Ward, Rich Deas, Allison Verost, the relentlessly patient Molly Brouillette, and the wonderful Ksenia Winnicki and Caitlin Sweeny, who have done so much to promote the trilogy online. I also want to say a special thank-you to Veronica Roth, John Picacio, Michael Scott, Lauren DeStefano, and Rick Riordan, who have been very kind to me and these books.
TEAM NEW LEAF
Joanna Volpe, thank you for being a brilliant agent, a wonderful friend, and for scaring the crap out of me in a hotel room in Belfast. Thanks to Kathleen Ortiz for taking the Grisha international and for putting up with my absurd approach to contracts and travel plans; Pouya Shabazian for laughing at my goofy jokes and helping me navigate the wilds of Hollywood; and Danielle Barthel and Jaida Temperly for manning the barricades with grace and good humor.
TEAM AWESOME LADIES
Morgan Fahey has been an amazing reader and has kept me company with late-night chats and email hilarity. Thank you for talking the Leighyore off many a ledge. Sarah Mesle helped me wade through so many plot woes, and I will never forget our New Year’s Eve bunker chat—SkyMall! Kayte Ghaffar, aka Empress of Swag, aka Master Fabrikator, aka Smartypants: I don’t know what I would have done without you as conspirator and confidante. Many thanks to Cindy Pon, Marie Rutkoski, Robin Wasserman, Amie Kaufman, Jennifer Rush, Sarah Rees Brennan, Cassandra Clare, and Marie Lu for encouragement, gossip, and inspiration. Also, to Emmy Laybourne, Jessica Brody, and Anna Banks—I feel like we’ve been to summer camp or possibly war together, and I loved every minute of it. Special thanks to Holly Black, who broke me down and built me back up again in the space of a single cab ride. She has powers, people. I’m just saying.
TEAM LOS ANGELES
Love and gratitude to Ray Tejada, Austin Wilkin, and Rachel Tejada of Ocular Curiosity (aka the League of Unplumbable Fun!). David and Erin Peterson are my favorite power couple—thank you for being so generous with your talent and time. Rachael Martin makes a damn fine date ball, and Robyn Bacon is the woman to trust when it comes to JUSTICE. Jimmy Freeman has coddled me with kindness, encouragement, and hospitality. Gretchen McNeil is a marvelous convention roommate, and for such a Marianne, she’s awfully full of great advice. Big thanks to Dan Braun, Brandon Harvey, Liz Hamilton, Josh Kamensky, Heather Joy and the wee Phoebe, Aaron Wilson and Laura Recchi, Michael Pessah, the ridiculously badass Christina Strain, Romi Cortier, Tracey Taylor, Lauren Messiah, Mel Caine, Mike DiMartino, and Kurt Mattila, who got me hooked on comics all over again. Brad Farwell, you don’t live in Los Angeles, but you didn’t fit into any of the other categories. Jerk.
TEAM BOOK PUSHER
Huge thanks to the librarians, teachers, bloggers, and booksellers who helped these books find their readers. And as always, love to the Brotherhood without Banners who welcomed me into one of the most supportive and generous fandoms around. They also throw the best parties.
TEAM TUMBLR
Some people supported the Grisha Trilogy early and must be paid due tribute: Irene Koh, who changed the way I see my own characters; Kira, aka eventhepartofyouthatlovedhim, who blogged early and often; the wonderful ladies of the Grisha Army; Emily Pursel, Laura Maldonado, Elena of Novelsounds, Laura and Kyra, and Madeleine Michaud, who writes the very best asks. There are so many more of you who have made graphics and fanmixes, who have created art and fic, who have chatted with me, and inspired me, and kept me going. Thank you for making this journey so much more magical.
TEAM FAMILY
Christine, Sam, Ryan, Emily—I love you guys. Shem, you are an amazing artist and the best possible person to see New York with. And finally, all the love and thanks to my adorable, wonderful mumsy, who cried at the right scenes and has learned to speak fluent narwhal.