The Hidden (35 page)

S
pecial thanks go to Washington Irving, of course. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve added my own pinch of salt to the soup mix. To my editor, Anica Rissi. Thank you for all your hard work, enthusiasm, and patience, especially when I wrote and chopped, and chopped and wrote, and chopped and chopped and chopped some more. “THE END” seemed so very far away, but I finally found it. To my agent, Michael Bourret. Thank you for working so hard on my behalf and championing this book through the many levels of the publishing process. To the Simon Pulse team: I am so thankful for all of you!

Thank you, Lee and Lucy Miller, for your unconditional love and support. I know I don’t say it enough, but you really are Mom and Dad to me. To all of my friends and family members who came to signings, posted messages on my Facebook page, and spread the word: “Thanks” seems so inadequate, but I’ll say it anyway. Thanks.

The Hollow trilogy started with best friends and ended with best friends, so I’d like to thank all the best friends who have been a part of my life: Steph Batchelor, Rachel Hall, Nicole Sandt, and
Lee Miller. Some of you I talk to more frequently than others, but I love you all. Thanks, besties!

To Mrs. Vincenty for her encouragement, Mrs. Carson for always knowing when to read another chapter, and to Mr. Welch: I didn’t become a rocket scientist, but at least now I’ll have the chance to write about them! P.S. You were a great teacher.

To Johnny Cash: The journey almost ended before it began, and you helped me make it through. See you in September. Thanks to the people, places, and things that have inspired me along the way, including the Jack Daniel’s distillery, the Buffalo Trace distillery, and the George Dickel distillery. Not just for the fruits of your labor, but for teaching me that sometimes the best words come slowly and steadily, aged with time.

Thanks to Michelle Zink for being a confidante along the way, and for being willing to put up with me when I e-mailed to say, “So, how about going on this crazy book tour that we put together
ourselves
?” You are an amazing person, and I’m honored to call you my friend. To all the bookstore owners, booksellers, libraries, librarians, and store employees who were a part of the Ghosts and Graves tour: Thank you for your enthusiasm and graciousness; thank you for welcoming us. We couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks also to Jim Logan at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery for the walking tour and arranging the bell ringing at the Old Dutch Church! Best. Moment. Ever.

To Erin and Keith: Here’s to a happy and healthy future for both of you, always. I love you guys. To Ephraim: You inspire me with your adorableness and never-ending spirit. I am
so
incredibly proud to be your auntie. As soon as Mom says it’s
okay, I’m buying you that puppy. To Lauren, Matthew, Caitlin, Connor, and Samantha: You guys make me feel old, but that’s okay, because I am completely amazed by how gorgeous, talented, smart, and beautiful you all are. (I get bonus points for putting you in a book, right?) And to Aunt Debbie and Uncle Albert, thanks for showing me just how cool the garbage biz can be.

And now, thank you, dear reader. Thank you for investing your time in this story. Thank you for coming to see me at my book signings. Thank you for e-mailing me to tell me how much you loved the story and how much you loved Caspian and how much you want to be BFFs with Abbey. Thank you for telling me what my words meant to
you
.

Last but not least, my eternal thanks go to Lee. I could fill a whole page, but you already know all the thank-yous that should come your way—from the very big to the very small. Lots and lots and
lots
of ’em. I’ll keep trying. Maybe one day I’ll get thru them all.