by Lee Bacon
A HUGE thank you goes out to my editor, Wendy Loggia, for your insight, wisdom, and advocacy on behalf of this series. And for making me a better writer.
Thank you, Mary Van Akin. I truly appreciate your publicity expertise, patience, and dedication over the last year. And thanks to Nicole Banholzer for taking the torch from Mary and offering your enthusiasm and ideas from day one.
I am so fortunate to have the support of Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books. In particular, and in no particular order: Krista Vitola, Trish Parcell, Bobbie Ford, Adrienne Waintraub, Lisa McClatchy, Brenda Conway, and Beverly Horowitz. This series would not have been possible without all of your commitment, attention, emails, calls, contacts, expertise, experience, and a million other little things that helped get Joshua Dread onto bookshelves (both real and virtual) and into readers’ hands.
Thank you to the copy editors who have worked behind the scenes on all three books. You make me seem much more intelligent and observant than I actually am.
My gratitude goes out to the terrific folks at the Random House Audio/Listening Library imprint—Dan Zitt, Laura Duane, Jodie Cohen, Katherine Fleming, and Catherine Bucaria—for bringing Joshua Dread to life. And to Maxwell Glick, for playing all the parts so well.
Thank you to Brandon Dorman. Your covers keep getting better.
Cathy Berner at the Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston has been a wonderful advocate for this series from the beginning. I owe you some Jacques Torres, Cathy.
When I was writing the acknowledgments for the first Joshua Dread, I had no idea what an enormous role librarians and teachers would play. Traveling to schools and libraries across the country, I’ve seen firsthand what a difference you make in the lives of your students. I am truly encouraged by your passion and dedication to reading, writing, curiosity, and creativity.
The following educators are among those who invited me into their schools and offered me an opportunity to share my story with their students: Tim Jones, Debra Yocum, Michael Kandel, Margaret Mary Ryan, Jami Ryan, Sarah Murphy, Phoebe Search, Beth McGregor, Vikki Terrile, Tiffany Nienow, Cheryl Patrick, Cindy Kunz, Diana Hood, Sue McDowell, Sydnie Kleinhenz, Kim Warwick, Alicia Vandenbroek, Margaret Garrett, Kay Almquist, Ashley Wagon, Noland Harmon, Brandee Smith, Marilyn Fowler, Jeanette Dow, Babette Vandervert, Erica Briscoe, Kim Logue, and Leigh Collazo. THANK YOU!
A number of people were generous enough to let me stay at their homes while I was on the road promoting this series. Thank you to Debi Thompson Campbell, Chris and Lee Daniels, and Bob and Mia Leland.
I am so grateful for the support from my family throughout the years. Doug, Sherilyn, and Kim Svien. Erin and Dennis Sissell. Mike, Carla, and Cody Owens. Layla Price. Stephen and Claudia Greek. Amy and Stephen Snell. Lauren and Travis Trull. Caitlyn and John Moore. Kristy Fowler Compton.
My greatest appreciation goes to my grandparents James and Sue Greek, to whom this book is dedicated.
Ein ganz herzliches Dankeschön auch an meine Schwiegereltern, Michael und Irmtrud Schlör, ebenso wie an Karin Schlör, Kalle Geis und Zenta Englert. Ich bin so dankbar, ein Teil eurer Familie zu sein.
Thank you to my brother, Evan Bacon. I might be able to invent robots on the page, but you build them in real life. And to Laura Cattani and the entire Cattani family, who generously open their home for ranch Thanksgivings and reggae parties.
Words cannot express my gratitude for my parents, Terry and Jamie Bacon. Thank you for everything. (And sorry for making Joshua’s parents horrible supervillains. It’s a total coincidence, I swear.)
And my final thank you goes to Eva. My wife and best friend, walking companion and translation consultant, social coordinator, and the person I want to do everything with. Always and forever. None of this would’ve been possible without you.
You are the Key.
LEE BACON grew up in Texas with parents who never once tried to destroy the world (at least, not that he knew of). He is the author of the Joshua Dread series and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit him at leebaconbooks.com.