Writing a follow-up volume to Feed was both elating and terrifying, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of a wonderful group of people. I can’t thank them enough. They ranged from medical professionals who worked with both humans and animals to gun experts and epidemiologists. Deadline is the work of many hands, and I am grateful to each and every one of them, because they were the ones who made this all possible.

Michelle Dockrey is a longtime editor of mine who chose to sit out Feed because it included zombies. Upon reading it, she promptly demanded the manuscript for Deadline, and just as quickly used her red pen and insightful eye for blocking to improve the book beyond all measure. (Also, I no longer need to worry about her trying to “sit this one out.” I win at proofreader.) Brooke Lunderville stepped up to become primary medical consultant on this volume, and her keen sense of what you should and shouldn’t do with a syringe can be seen on every page.

Alan Beatts joined the proofing pool as my new weapons expert, and his patient efforts to make me understand why a shotgun isn’t the ideal zombie-fighting weapon did a lot to improve my combat scenes. I am incredibly grateful, especially given that it was really, really late in the process when I decided to say, “Hey, do you think you could…” Thanks also to Torrey Stenmark, Dave Tinney, and Debbie J. Gates for their well-timed, well-considered technical suggestions.

The Machete Squad must also, and always, be thanked. Amanda Perry, Rae Hanson, Sunil Patel, Alison Riley-Duncan, Rebecca Newman, Allison Hewett, Janet Maughan, Penelope Skrzynski, Phil Ames, and Amanda Sanders were all on tap for general proofreading and plot consultation. Through their efforts is this book made incalculably better. Meanwhile, at Orbit, DongWon Song was applying a keen editorial eye to the text, Lauren Panepinto was rocking the cover design, and Alex Lencicki was just plain rocking. Thanks so much, guys. I couldn’t have done this without you.

Finally, acknowledgment for forbearance must go to Kate Secor, Shaun Connolly, and Cat Valente, who put up with an amazing amount of “talking it out” as I tried to make the book make sense; to my agent, Diana Fox, who remains my favorite superhero; to Betsy Tinney, for everything; and to Tara O’Shea and Chris Mangum, the incredible technical team behind www.MiraGrant.com. This book might have been written without them. It would not have been the same.

If you’re curious about the American yellow fever epidemic and mosquito-based vectors, check out The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, by Molly Crosby.

Rise up while you can.

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