Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye: A Novel

by Tania del Rio

  @taniadelrio

  I dreamed up Warren the 13th, 13 years ago, and I can’t even tell you how happy I am that his story is now bound together in this book for all to enjoy.

  I want to thank my family. Mom, Dad, Ira, Eli, this book is for you.

  This project would not have been possible without my amazing and patient partner, Hanh. She’s kept me sane, fed, and focused (and excused me from house chores!) during the intensive rush to illustrate this book.

  Countless thanks go to Jason Rekulak for his absolute support of an odd-looking boy and his mysterious home. Thanks also go to the extraordinary team at Quirk Books who I was thrilled to get work with once again. Special thanks to Tim and Mary Ellen!

  Thanks to Roberto, Matteo, Atom, Alex, Jacob, Evan, Sean, Steve, Ashlyn, Gregg, Bree, Craig, Keith, Susan, Peter, Barb, Zander, Gene, Diana and Megan for their help and support of my work.

  Last but not certainly not least, thanks to Tania for adding her words to an epic tale that I’ve been toiling over since my school days.

  There are so many people I want to thank for making this book possible. First and foremost, thank you, Will Staehle, for creating Warren in art school all those years ago. It’s been a long journey, but I’ve always believed in the ugly boy with a big heart (and beautiful hair). Thank you for sharing Warren with me and for helping make my writing dreams come true.

  Thanks, too, to Jason Rekulak, publisher and editor extraordinaire for his excellent guidance and wit, and for really understanding who Warren is. I feel like I’ve become a stronger storyteller through your edits and I can’t wait to continue working with you on book two (and beyond!).

  Thank you Brett Cohen, Nicole De Jackmo, Suzanne Wallace, Julie Leung, Timothy O’Donnell, Katherine McGuire, Rick Chillot, and all the rest of the amazing team at Quirk – your support and enthusiasm for this project has invigorated me day in and day out!

  Thank you Kelly Coyle-Crivelli of Penguin Random House for being my cheerleader behind the scenes – I’m so happy to have met you!

  I also owe so much to those who have helped me on my path of becoming a writer. I’m so grateful to Victor Gorelick and Mike Pellerito for being the first to give me the opportunity to write professionally. Thank you to the members of the Human Writes Group for your honest critique and tough love over the years: Liz Adams, Krishna Devine, Meredyth Wilson, Jessica Hill, Gayvin Powers, Spiro Skentzos–I’m so grateful to you all. And to those friends who have taken the time to read my work in the past and offer not only feedback but also encouragement, thank you: Aaron Feaver, Uriel Walker, Mary Bellamy, and Amy Kim Kibuishi.

  Thank you to NaNoWriMo and its participants for providing a wonderful community and friendly write-ins, both of which helped me to crank out my first draft.

  To my parents, I love you and thank you for always supporting me even if you don’t understand why I chose the path of the starving artist. I credit my love of reading to you. It’s because of all you’ve done for me that I dedicate this book to you.

  Sebastian Hackett, thank you for being my number one fan, for helping me though the dark days of self-doubt, and for always believing in me even when I find it hard to believe in myself. I love you so much.

  I’m also endlessly grateful to the universe for showing me, time and time again, that wishes do manifest.

  And last but not least, to all the readers, both young and young-at-heart, you guys are the reason for everything I do. Thank you.

  Quirkbooks.com