Ruins

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book owes so much to so many people. My editor, Jordan Brown, and my agent, Sara Crowe. The amazing crew at HarperCollins and Balzer + Bray. My assistant, Chersti Nieveen, and my brother, Robison Wells, both excellent writers in their own right and amazing sources of help and inspiration. My readers, who are many and varied: Steve Diamond, Nick Dianatkhah, Mary Robinette Kowal, Ben Olsen, Maija-Liisa Phipps, Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and the many others I undoubtedly forgot.

This book owes another huge debt to my wife, Dawn, who supports me more than I could ever hope for, and then some. She gives me time, ideas, advice, encouragement, food, and the freedom to do whatever I need, whenever I need to, to bring this and every other book to you. Without her I’d be flipping burgers somewhere. Thank you, Dawn, for being amazing.

Last of all, this book owes perhaps its biggest debt to the ultimate models for Kira and Heron and every other awesome girl in the Partials series: my two daughters. May you always have heroines to inspire you, role models to look up to, and the freedom and courage to make your own choices, no matter how simple or scary or hard or eternal they may be.