Across a Star-Swept Sea

Acknowledgments

I COULD PROBABLY POPULATE New Pacifica itself with all the people I owe thanks to over the course of putting this book in your hands. As always, seas of gratitude to Kristin Rens, who fought by my side for this book through all its iterations, and the entire team at Balzer + Bray (especially Sara Sargent, who actually did get a name-check this time around), with extra kudos to Ray Shappell and Colin and Sasha for actually capturing the hard-to-capture Persis. And, of course, my thanks to agent Deidre Knight, who among her myriad talents, helped me nail down the title.

My husband, my daughter, and my dog all sacrificed much (maybe too much) during the writing of this book—thank you for putting up with me. And yes: Batman. My long-suffering parents finally have fictional counterparts on the good side of the equation . . . though we all know that even the Blakes can’t throw dinner parties like you.

A short and no doubt insufficient list of fellow writers who kept me sane during the composition of this caper, by giving advice, reading drafts, and just listening: Carrie Ryan (my rock), Julie Leto (my hard place), Lavinia Kent, Justine Larbalestier, Jo Treggiari, Jon Skovron, Jessica Spotswood, Sarah Brand, Erica Ridley, Marianne Mancusi, E. C. Meyers, Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Robin Wasserman, Michelle Hodkin, R. J. Anderson, Franny Billingsley, and Maureen McGowan. Special shout out to Vania Stoyanova, who is just as clever and cunning and talented—and, okay, a good bit less evil—than her namesake.

Gratitude (and a few regrets) to Baroness Orczy; her creations Sir Percy Blakeney, his lady Marguerite, and the villainous Chauvelin; and their legions of fans. I also owe a debt to anyone and everyone who ever tackled their own adaptation or reinterpretation of the sprawling stories Orczy spun about the Scarlet Pimpernel, especially the 1980s version featuring Anthony Andrews/Jane Seymour/Ian McKellan (my personal first).

And as always, thank you to you, dear reader, who makes it all worthwhile.