It’s impossible to write these acknowledgments without also giving a respectful nod to some people I don’t even know—namely, all the varied versions of Lucy Westenra who came before. There are so many Lucys that I adore, from Frances Dade in Dracula and Carol Marsh in Horror of Dracula to Soledad Miranda in Count Dracula and Isabelle Adjani in Nosferatu the Vampyre to Sadie Frost in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and of course, Bram Stoker’s incandescent creation in the original novel: the lovely Lucy that started them all. Every iteration has brought something new to the character (including a lot of new last names), but above and beyond all else, I hope I’ve honored each one in some small way in writing Reluctant Immortals. So thank you to the Lucys, both in literature and in cinema, for inspiring me.

While they’ve rarely gotten the page or screen time of the Lucys, I also want to thank all the Bertha Antoinetta Masons of books and film, in particular the uncredited actress from the 1943 version of Jane Eyre, which was my very first exposure to the story back when I was a kid. (Also, a shout-out to my dad who enthusiastically recommended we watch the film one Saturday afternoon. Because if nothing else, we loved all things strange and gothic in our household.)

Back in the real world, thank you to everyone at Saga Press who helped bring this book to life. It was such an astounding experience to have so many people working at once to conjure my tale of Bee and Lucy into the world. In particular, thank you to my editor Joe Monti for helping me to hone this story into the very best version it could be. There’s nothing as important to a writer as a truly skilled editor, and I’m so grateful that this book had such a great one.

And last but not least, all my heartfelt thanks in the world to Charlotte Brontë and Bram Stoker for creating these characters. I’ve cherished both Jane Eyre and Dracula for almost my entire life, and the opportunity to craft this psychedelic sequel/retelling is possibly the most fun I’ve ever had writing a book. So thank you to Charlotte and Bram’s gothic spirits, wherever they may roam.

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about the author

GWENDOLYN KISTE is the Bram Stoker Award–winning author of The Rust Maidens, And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe, Pretty Marys All in a Row, The Invention of Ghosts, and Boneset & Feathers. Originally from Ohio, she now resides on an abandoned horse farm outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, two cats, and not nearly enough ghosts. You can also find her online on Facebook and Twitter @GwendolynKiste.

FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR:
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