The Naturals, Book 2: Killer Instinct (38 page)

Thanks, too, go to Elizabeth Harding, Ginger Clark, Holly Frederick, and Jonathan Lyons—incredible agents, all! Much like the Naturals’ knacks, their abilities border on the uncanny.
As with the first book, thanks also go out to everyone at the Dino De Laurentiis Company, especially Martha De Laurentiis and Lorenzo De Maio (who once asked me what case haunted Briggs as
“the one that got away”).

Finally, I owe a major debt to all of the people in my life who keep me sane when writing is crazy: my wonderful family, NLPT & Ti30, everyone at the University of Oklahoma, and the
wonderful and supportive YA writing community. Thanks to Rachel Vincent for writing company and sharing my id, and to Ally Carter, who not only helps me brainstorm, but also locks me in her closet
when I am on deadline, which is the sign of a true and wonderful friend. I’m also grateful to Melissa de la Cruz, Carrie Ryan, and Rose Brock, for writing vacations, Rose Fest, and adventure!
This book was revised in Cornwall, where Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, Cassandra Clare, Joshua Lewis, and Kelly Link provided both moral and creative support—not to mention a whole lot
of fun. I am so grateful both to and for you all.

Finally, I would like to thank all of the readers who have championed the first book—and looked forward to the second. I can’t wait for you all to see what’s in store for
Cassie and the others next.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes
has written over a dozen acclaimed young adult novels, including the first book in this series,
The Naturals
. She has advanced degrees in
psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science. She recently received her PhD from Yale University and is now a professor of psychology. You can find her online at
www.jenniferlynnbarnes.com
or
follow her on Twitter
@jenlynnbarnes
.