The Black Heart Crypt

THANK YOU …

In my school visits, I have fun improvising a ghost story based on suggestions from the assembled students to teach about story structure, protagonists, and antagonists. So I am eternally grateful to the fifth grader who, when prompted for a good name for a bad guy, shouted out,

“Ickleby!”

I’d also like to thank all those who made generous contributions to the Artemis Project animal rescue group in New York for a chance to name one of the aunts’ cats. Pyewacket, Mister Cookiepants, and Mystic were the winners, along with all the strays the Artemis Project helps here in New York City.

Thank you also to R. Schuyler Hooke, the best editor on this metaphysical plane or any other; Nicole de las Heras, who makes my many-chaptered books look so good; Scott Altmann, who has made the last three covers so creepy; Lisa McClatchy from Kids @ Random House, who helps me organize all my school visits; Emily Pourciau, who tells the world about Zack and Judy; the copy editors, who have taught me things about colons I never realized; and everybody else at Random House Children’s Books, who has been so terrific to me and my stories.

Thanks as always to my agent, Eric R. Myers, who in six short years has shepherded seventeen of my stories to publication.

And to all the teachers, students, librarians, and parents who have told other teachers, students, librarians, and parents about the Haunted Mystery series.

Finally, all the cats in the book would like to thank Jeanette, Parker, and Tiger Lilly—the three cats who allow me to share their office space when I write.