Monument 14

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Heartfelt thanks go to my agent, Susanna Einstein, who supported Monument 14 from the moment I told her the first glimmer of the idea, to this very draft you’ve just read. Jean Feiwel, my editor and publisher, thank you for your vision and dedication to making M14 the best book it could be. I feel tremendously fortunate to work with you. Holly West, thanks for loving the book so much and taking such great care of it.

Big thanks to Gregory Casimir and Vinny at Target for all their insider know-how. And thanks to the Boy Scouts from Upstate New York that I met at that Chuckwagon Dinner in Colorado Springs. Your openness, intelligence, and honesty made me decide to make Niko a Boy Scout. I hope he does you proud.

I would also like to acknowledge Jane and Bob Stine, who gave me the opportunity to write my first book way back when. Bill Gifford, Terry Culleton, Richard Walter, and Howard Suber are all educators who made a big difference to me and I want them to know it.

Marina Dominguez, I wouldn’t have found my way back to a creative life if I hadn’t had you to help with the kids.

Thank you to my early readers: Amy Baily, Cate Baily, Andrew Bair, Kristin Bair, Wendy Shanker, and Kevin Maher; and my always readers: Kit and Gerry Laybourne (my very own parents).

Thanks to Patricia Hasegawa and the Parent Your Dream group. To the Warriors. To the Heartless Floozies. To my e-mail vibe group. (It turns out, I run on groups.) How lucky I am to have you all!

And Greg, thank you for being my advocate and my hero.