First, to my agent and friend Kate Schafer Testerman—there is no me without Kate. I will always fondly remember how you answered e-mails about this book while you were in labor, and I asked you why you were answering e-mails while you were in labor, and you said you were bored and between episodes of Buffy.

To Jennifer Besser, my editor, who believed in this book from the word go—I don’t think the term “fairy godmother” is out of place here. To Shauna Fay, who is always there with a helping hand. And to everyone at Penguin for all of your support.

To my friends Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier, Robin Wasserman, Holly Black, Cassie Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, John Green, Libba Bray, Ally Carter . . . who read drafts, walked me through plot problems, and talked me off ledges. (Not that I was ever going to jump, but like a cat, I find myself in high, precarious places sometimes.) You are wise and long-suffering, and I am lucky to know you all. Believe me, I know it.

Andy Friel, Chelsea Hunt, and Rebecca Leach all served as advanced readers. Mary Johnson (RN, CSNP, MOM) served as the medical consultant and got very used to me calling up and starting conversations with things like, “So, say I was sawing off a human head . . .”

Jason and Paula allowed me to marry them in the middle of all of this, and went with my idea of rolling a twenty-sided die in the ceremony to determine the success of the marriage.

And thank you to all my online friends who listen to my ramblings every day as I merrily roll along.

Without all of you, I’d be nowhere. Or, I’d be somewhere, but it would be the wrong place.