This project has been the biggest thrill of my author life thus far, and I have so many people I wish to thank.
First, to my representation for their unwavering belief in me and my writing, and for pushing this project to greater heights: Brooklyn Weaver, Joe Veltre, and Greg Pedicin, you guys are my heroes! Brooklyn, talking through the story with you early on challenged me to come up with bigger and better ideas, and I’m grateful for you helping me reach my full potential. Joe and Greg, I’ll never forget how you guys rallied around this project and helped it soar. I’m beyond blessed to have the three of you on my team.
To the first person who said yes and started this author’s dream coming true—Josh Bratman, thank you!! I’m forever grateful for you sharing my vision, for your insightful notes, and for finding us the perfect home for the movie adaptation with Sony. You are a true writer’s producer, and working with you has been a game changer—may this be just the beginning!
I’ll always remember my amazing first phone call with Alexandra Cooper: the way everything clicked, and I knew right then that I wanted her to be my editor! Alex, thank you for believing in me and this project from the get-go. I’m grateful for your editing wizardry, for listening anytime I needed to talk through the story with you (and letting me express my writerly neuroses!), and for guiding my vision. It’s such an honor to be one of your authors!
Rosemary Brosnan, thank you for supporting this project from the acquisition stage, and for the incredible opportunity to publish with HarperTeen. Many thanks to everyone at Harper who had a hand in shaping this book: Alyssa Miele for your help at each stage in the process, Heather Daugherty and Erin Fitzsimmons for that incredible cover, Kathryn Silsand in managing editorial for taking such good care of the project, Maya Myers for your thorough copyediting, and Olivia Russo and the publicity, marketing, and sales teams for spreading the message and sharing The Final Six far and wide!
So much of this journey began with an incredible executive at Sony, who saw the book’s potential early on: Lauren Abrahams, I am so grateful to you! Thank you for believing in this story and saying yes. Thanks also to you and Sara Rastogi for the valuable manuscript notes. It’s a dream to be working with all of you at Sony.
Chad Christopher and the team at SGSLLP, thank you for getting my contracts all set and taking such great care of me!
Allison Cohen at Gersh, thank you for your amazing work bringing The Final Six to different countries around the world! To my foreign publishers, from Italy to Brazil and beyond, it’s a privilege and a thrill to have my book translated into your languages.
Megan Beatie, thank you for your awesome publicity skills and introducing this project to so many!
Dr. Firouz Naderi, I’m endlessly grateful for you taking the time to read and give notes on the manuscript. Getting feedback from someone I admire so greatly was a real privilege, and it was so generous of you!
To a great friend, scientist, Dr. Teresa Segura: thank you for reading and giving me such helpful notes and suggestions, and for all the time you spent answering my questions. You were truly like a science editor for me—thank you!!
Getting to meet and discuss Europa with actual NASA Europa scientist Robert Pappalardo was another pinch-me moment in this process. Robert, thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with me, and answering my questions about everything from landers to extraterrestrials!
Dr. Ross Donaldson, thank you for letting me run my biology and tech questions by you, and for being so supportive. Chessa Donaldson, thank you for beta-reading and giving feedback on every one of my books. You two are family to me.
One of the best things I did for research was attending Space Camp for adults at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Many thanks to the camp organizers and my teammates for an amazing, educational, and fun experience!
And now, to the people without whom I would be nowhere, who give meaning to everything I write and create—my family. My biggest thanks go to you, always . . .
Chris Robertiello, my soul mate and the greatest husband and father: your love and support makes everything possible. I am forever grateful for your belief in me and your understanding, patience, and encouragement as I worked around the clock on this book. I love you to infinity and beyond.
To my mother, ZaZa, aka Mommy Poppins: from coming over and taking care of me during the last weeks of pregnancy while I revised the manuscript like a madwoman, to returning nearly every day to help with Baby Leo while I was in the home stretch of working on the book—you’ve been a true angel on earth, and I am filled to the brim with gratitude and love for you!
To my father, Shon: none of this would be happening without all the years of you supporting my dreams, ever since I was a little girl scribbling away in a notebook. Thank you for teaching me to believe that whatever I can imagine, I can achieve! Love you beyond words.
Arian, I’m so grateful for the love and laughter you bring to my world. Thank you for being the best big brother ever—and for always reading and giving such valuable feedback on my manuscripts, too!
Gratitude and love to my big, beautiful Iranian family, on both the Saleh and Madjidi sides. To my family members up in Heaven: Papa, Mama Monir, and Honey, thank you for being my inspiration each day.
Many thanks to my closest friends and family (who were so supportive during this big year of double labor!): Brooke Kaufman Halsband, Sainaz Saleh, Dottie Robertiello, the Bratmans, Mia Antonelli, Ami McCartt, Heather Holley, Jon and Emily Sandler, Meganne and Jeremy Drake, Alex and Lisa Tse, Dan and Heather Kiger, Roxane Cohanim, Adriana Ameri, Marise Freitas, Stacie Surabian, Christina Harmon, Dani Cordaro, and Camilla Moshayedi. And of course, I can’t forget my writing companion, Daisy the dog!
Leo, you were a wish in my heart when I started writing this book. You became real, kicking within me, during my late nights revising the story of your namesake. And now you are here—and I’m so grateful.
I love you forever.