My agent, Juliet Mushens, and her (former, now promoted!) assistant, Liza DeBlock. Juliet, I honestly don’t know how you do it? I can always count on you for a quick answer to a question. Liza, your assistance with all of those tax forms was invaluable. Because wow, I would not have known what to do with those all on my own.

And again, the team at Orbit: James Long, Brit Hvide (and thank you to Priyanka, who took over while Brit was out!), Joanna Kramer, Ellen Wright, Nazia Khatun, Nadia Saward and Angela Man. James, I so appreciate you pointing out spots where I could improve this story and strengthen motivations. Joanna, I am in awe of your sharp eye for repeated words and consistency errors as well as places where I just… didn’t make sense.

My sister and my brother-in-law, Lei, who offered a place where I could work and not be constantly distracted by my baby (she’s very cute, okay?).

My parents and my brother, who have been constantly and consistently encouraging, even if my parents cannot seem to believe this may never be a movie. And Mom and Dad, letting us stay with you after the baby was born was so kind. We had a rough go of things and you made it easier.

John, I would not have been able to get this done without you. Through an exhausting pregnancy and a fresh new colicky baby, you made sure I had the time and space to write. Even though you have your own demanding career, you were constantly asking, “How can I take some of this burden from you?” I will always strive to be the sort of person who deserves you.

Sasha Vinogradova and Charis Loke, for respectively providing such beautiful cover artwork and such a gorgeous map. And Lauren Panepinto at Orbit, whose cover design skills are unparalleled.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention everyone who has read the first book. Your enthusiasm and reviews have made my day repeatedly. I spent years (and years) writing books knowing that a lot of what I wrote would not see the light of day. You’ve made all of that worth it a thousand times over. Thank you.

Discover More

Discover Your Next Great Read

Get sneak peeks, book recommendations, and news about your favorite authors.

Tap here to learn more.

extras

meet the author

Photo Credit: Lei Gong

ANDREA STEWART is the daughter of immigrants and was raised in a number of places across the United States. Her parents always emphasized science and education, so she spent her childhood immersed in Star Trek and odd-smelling library books.

When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn’t pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California and, in addition to writing, can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes.