Sometimes smooth,
or bars,
bright clear windows,
locked doors.
There were times I curled under, away
From the Sandpaper place.
Built my nautilus outward,
spun from bone.
Fingertips in, pill-bug snug, soft worm skin
Chrysalis’d tight—
But it’s been long since my wings broke that skin.
Cocoons cannot fit me
(nor this Sandpaper Place),
pinkened palms can’t survive in the sun.
I grow suction cups now, inside hands, down both wrists,
Reach out wide, splay myself to cold:
Starfish-to-starfish,
Sister-limbs fuse as one
Girl-beast chain, sister-strong, woven tight:
Isla and Sasha, Marena, Hilo’s siren song:
No fear, be brave, Forward fight!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First to Mark Pedowitz, who started this crazy adventure.
Leslie, who makes the magic real.
Bill Haber, unseen hand behind every victory.
Bruce Vinokour, fighting so hard for me on every front (love you, CAA).
T, the amazing Tricia Ballard: you are Wonder Woman. Nothing—not a word—could have happened without you.
Zoe Cope: artistic genius, crafter of Fae-ness you can actually touch, visual visionary, and most bad-ass chick around—not to mention cover-mastermind, pirate-jeweler, geode tour-mate, and girl-beast to the bone.
Mar, namesake of Marena, person to my person, mermaid-warrior brave enough even to read early, wordy, rife-with-mistakes drafts (even on tight, tight deadlines!).
Gil Cope: photographer savant, who made these covers epic beyond my imagination (and Kara, for being Noa, you graceful, fierce woman!).
Ash & Shelbs (and Mar and T): Ninja Otter Sox shout out! Ash, Neko forever! Shelbs, so glad we share the same “terrible” taste in music!
Andy, Kristen & Ethan: Team Book Tour! Team Ninja! Team Words Against Humanity!
Tanaz Masaba, Jaime Kramer, Anne Bollman, Jhoanne Ayen Jimenez, Abbie San Juan, Bashayer Hakami, Barbara Hunt, and all the T-Birds: You have no idea how much your support has meant to me. You make this all worth it. I promise to keep torturing and tugging your hearts.
Eric, Susan, Elena, and everyone at PGW, for taking on The Light Trilogy and getting it out there! You guys are the best!
Brad and Liquis, for making the online face of The Light Trilogy so awesome.
BookSparks, for launching my books (and me!) to the world.
Papaloa Press: so happy to bring The Light Trilogy home (literally!).
LW: editor-partner for life!
And, forever:
A: always. For bringing me back.
Kauai, my most special, special home, and my Kauai ohana: Aloha nui loa; you are the happiness of my happy place. Shaka!
Tara (& Favor): Kauai sister, shared devotee of the magical floaty (and Mama Sharon: kukui oil forever!).
Jamaica: my teacher.
Janet, Jaime, Da, David, Ryan, Anne, Angela, Team Terrace: still the best friends Noa could have.
Mirah: rescuer of lost creatures—and my dearest, dearest Ninja. Can never repay you, not ever.
Mom & Dad: for giving me my siblings & for first taking me to Kauai, my spiritual center and the birthplace of The Light Trilogy.
Jeremy: twin Kauaian, island-heart soul mate, inspiring big brother I will always adore.
Mikey & Michelle: for giving me the gift of the Sasha cover! Michelle, for sharing your amazing, so moving photos. Both of you, for always making me such a special part of your MOMA.
Avi: for always letting me build roads with you outside, and cities inside, and worlds in the everywhere we imagine together.
Livi: for being Sasha for me—on the cover and beyond!
… and my Ninja. Woof!
THE AUTHOR
LAUREN BIRD HOROWITZ, screenwriter and novelist, has won an enthusiastic following for her innovative, lyrical poetic voice. Her debut novel, Shattered Blue: Book One of The Light Trilogy, won the 2016 Independent Publishers’ (IPPY) Silver Medal for Young Adult Fiction, as well as Finalist honors in the 2016 USA Book Awards for Best New Fiction and Best New Fantasy, the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Best Young Adult Fiction, and the 2016 International Book Award for Best Fantasy. It was also listed as one of USA Today’s top romances of 2015, and selected as a notable book by Buzzfeed, POPSUGAR, Hypable, San Francisco Book Review, Glitter, Culturalist, Teen Reads, MariaShriver.com, Bustle, and others.
Bird studied writing at Harvard University with novelist Jamaica Kincaid and won several prizes, including the Edward Eager Memorial Prize for fiction and the Winthrop-Sargent Prize for writing. She is a proud member of the Writers Guild of America.
CONNECT
www.LaurenBirdHorowitz.com
@birdaileen
@birdaileen
Lauren “Birdaileen” Horowitz
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