Caledonia wrapped cold fingers around the handle of the tow. And then she opened her eyes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wrote Seafire during one of the most challenging years of my life. It was a time of loss and heartbreak, and the crew of the Mors Navis was a much needed constellation of hope. Bringing them to life took the combined efforts of an incredible team of friends and colleagues. I am grateful for all of them.
First, the agents who have made my career possible: Molly Cusick, John Cusick, and Lara Perkins. The three of you have been the best mentors and colleagues I could have asked for.
My eternal thanks to Team Alloy: Josh Bank, Sara Shandler, Romy Golan, Laura Barbiea, and especially Lanie Davis, whose careful eyes have studied every last word of this novel (and frequently suggested a better one). My just as eternal thanks to Team Razorbill: Marissa Grossman, Ben Schrank, and Jessica Almon. You are the kind of crew I always want on my side.
Many thanks to the sharp-eyed team of copyeditors and proofreaders who have made sure my messes didn’t end up in this final copy: Krista Ahlberg, Samantha Hoback, Janet Pascal, Ashley Yee, and Abigail Powers. Of course, any messes still present are entirely my own.
Billelis’s cover art combined with Corina Lupp’s design is . . . electric. (Okay, I’m sorry, first and final pun for these acknowledgments.) They’ve captured the spirit of this novel with their work and I am in awe of their skills and talents.
I am incredibly thankful to my publicist at Razorbill, Lindsay Boggs, the entire sales and marketing team at Penguin Young Readers, and everyone at Rights People. To everyone who has worked behind the scenes, thank you!
My friends have supported me in laughter, tears, lattes, and beer, and I am more human because of them. A great big THANK YOU to: Lydia Ash, Megan Bannen, Dhonielle Clayton, Becca Coffindaffer, Zoraida Córdova, Laci Gerhart, Bethany Hagen, Sarah Henning, Christie Holland, Tara Hudson, Dot Hutchison, Justina Ireland, Kate Johnston, Chris McKitterick, Julie Murphy, Robin Murphy, Joane Nagel, Kaitlyn Sage Patterson, Amanda Sellet, Miriam Weinberg, and the entire crew of FMC.
Thanks and apologies to my father, who I bothered with many technical questions about warships and their combat capabilities. He answered them all with patience and a willingness to speculate. He gets credit for all the things I got right, and none of the blame for the liberties I’ve taken.
My family is spread out across countries and oceans, but their support has been unwavering in spite of the distance. Special thanks to my mother, who always catches the last round of typos.
And finally, my wife, Tessa Gratton, who has been here every step of the way. I love you and I like you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Natalie C. Parker is the author of the Beware the Wild duology, the Seafire trilogy, and the editor of Three Sides of a Heart. She earned her BA in English literature from the University of Southern Mississippi and her MA in gender studies from the University of Cincinnati. She grew up in a Navy family finding home in coastal cities from Virginia to Japan. Now, she lives surprisingly far from any ocean on the Kansas prairie where she runs Madcap Retreats with her wife. She tweets @nataliecparker.
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Seafire Page 29
