Thief Eyes (27 page)

Inga þóra Ingvarsdóttir for reading the manuscript from an Icelander’s perspective, for answering more questions, and for always being willing to geek out about the sagas with me. Sarah Johnson and her daughter Elayne for reading the manuscript from the perspective of Americans living in Iceland, and all their family for welcoming us into their home. Everyone else who read all or part of the manuscript, sometimes on short notice: C. S. Adler, Catherine Keegan, Jill Knowles, Larry Hammer, Ann Manheimer, Patricia McCord, Earl Parrish, Frances Robertson, and Jennifer J. Stewart. My husband, Larry Hammer, again, because it was his idea to go to Iceland in the first place, and because his memory for visual details—not to mention his quiet conviction that of course I could write this book—helped me through countless scenes.

My fabulous editor at Random House, Jim Thomas, who always knows how to make my words better, as well as Random House editorial assistant Chelsea Eberly, publicist Meg O’Brien, and designer Heather Palisi, all of whom have helped to get those words out into the world.

My also-fabulous agent, Nancy Gallt, and her assistant, Marietta Zacker.

With so many people doing so much to help me, any mistakes that remain must be my own. Thank you all. I couldn’t have written this one without you.

Janni Lee Simner

first became fascinated with the Icelandic sagas—and with the woman whose uncle said she had the eyes of a thief—during a visit to Iceland. Standing in the rift valley of Thingvellir with a battered copy of
Njal’s Saga
in her backpack, she realized that the characters she was reading about had walked the same ground. As the wind blew around her, she sat down and wrote the opening scene of
Thief Eyes
.

Janni lives more than four thousand miles from Iceland in Tucson, Arizona, where the hot, dry desert weather is about as unlike Iceland as one can get and still be on the same planet. She’s also the author of four books for younger readers and more than thirty short stories. Janni is currently working on the sequel to her first young adult novel,
Bones of Faerie
.

To learn more about Janni, visit her Web site at
www.simner.com
.