No Easy Way Out (37 page)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T
hank you to my early readers on this one: Anne Cunningham, Jennifer Decker, Mary-Beth McNulty, and Matthew Weiner. I especially depended on their fresh eyes to see through the morass of verbiage. And to Christine Kaufman, my mom, for doing that final read-through with me.

Thank you to my panel of “experts”: Karen Mangold, super-awesome doctor friend, answerer of icky questions, accomplice to all my characters’ injuries and deaths; John Kaufman, my dad, whose background in designing key-card access systems made him the perfect coconspirator for busting the heck out of them, and who told me I needed another explosion; Justine Clinch, who helped guide me through the world of fashion; Bill and Sue Ward for brainstorming what might be found in the back of a post office; and finally, for filling me in on the lingo, Cate Williamson,
mi hermana
; Erin Sheridan; Angela LaCour; and the Quattro Quatros—McKenna, Keaton, Hallie-Blair, and Hudson—and their mom, Jamie.

Thank you to my team at Dial Books: Greg Stadnyk, for creating a stunning cover that shines from the shelf; Jason Henry for his subtle, effective interior design; Regina Castillo, my copy editor, who helped me refine the rough patches; and Jessica Shoffel, publicist extraordinaire!

To my exemplary editor, Kathy Dawson, I owe a great deal of thanks. It was her detailed and unflinching editorial letter concerning the rather pitiful first draft of this puppy that helped me shape it into the complicated plot-octopus (ploctopus?) that it is today. Everything I write is made better by her keen yet kind eye, and her support and enthusiasm help me keep going through the dark nights of revision.

Thank you to my excellent and extraordinary agent, Faye Bender. I depend on her advice, enthusiasm, and support. Thank you for holding my hand through everything.

Thank you to Evelyn for putting up with Mommy when she was writing instead of playing. And thank you to Jason Lorentz, who makes my life a love story.