Dragonsblood

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book is the first book written solely by someone else in Anne McCaffrey’s Pern universe. I would like to thank Ms. McCaffrey-“Thank you, Mum!”-for letting me do so. I was thrilled to get a smiley face from her on my outline, as well as all her encouragement and her bravery in letting someone else play in her very special sandbox.

The quality of that outline was dramatically improved by the comments of Michael Reaves, Brynne Chandler, and Jenna Scott.

I would also like to thank my sister, Georgeanne Kennedy, for her insightful comments and questions, and for her unfailing support in my efforts to write this novel.

This novel would not have happened at all without the encouragement, understanding, and keen insight of my editor, Shelly Shapiro, of Del Rey Books. She not only encouraged me when I needed it but also challenged me to stretch to greater heights-the true hallmark of a great editor.

While too many cooks may spoil the broth, it is amazing how many sets of eyes can gaze over the same mistakes-and miss them. I am very grateful to Judith Welsh, my editor at Transworld, for catching errors that no one else noticed.

I would also like to thank Don Maass of the Donald Maass Literary Agency for his steady support, keen insights, and quiet encouragement.

I would like to thank Harry and Marilyn Alm for their prompt replies to questions regarding Threadfalls and particularly recommend Harry’s Threadfall charts for anyone seriously interested in figuring out what goes where on Pern-at least when it comes to nasty stuff.

I am also indebted to Dr. Natascha Latenschlauger for her help in dealing with illnesses and genetic material, no matter which planet it comes from.

I want to thank my early readers, Sonia Orin Lyris, Angel Hanley, Harry and Marilyn Alm, and-of course-Anne McCaffrey (Mum) for all their comments, suggestions, and insights without which this book would not be.

Finally, I would like to sing the praises of my copy editor from Del Rey, Martha Trachtenberg, who caught or questioned countless errors in the original manuscript and whose songwriting knowledge made “Wind Blossom’s Song” vastly superior.

Any mistakes, errors, and omissions still found are all mine.

eISBN 0-345-48193-3