A Choir of Lies
Page 42
Acknowledgments
Second books are much harder than first books, as it turns out—this was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever written, both emotionally and in terms of technical skill, but I survived it, and I’m so honored to be able to put it into your hands. Thank you for being here.
The godmothers of this book are Freya Marske and Jennifer Mace. They read the very, very rough first draft of this book when our friendship was still quite new and untested, they thrashed it into shape, and they tactfully and kindly didn’t tell me it had been genuinely god-awful until much later, after I’d already fixed it. This book would not be what it is without them. Thank you, friends. (An individual thank-you to Macey for teaching me her method of planning a revision (murderboards!), which saved my ass so hard. Another individual thank-you to Freya for holding my hand and coaching me through how to write a sex scene.)
Navah Wolfe, my editor and the actual light of my life, must be damned with faint praise when I say: “Wow, she’s really good at her job.” Her faith in this book and her patience were unwavering, even when she was doing dramatic public readings of a hilarious writer tantrum I sent her during the first round of revisions. She is a gift, and I feel so lucky just to know her.
Meg Frank let me crash in their apartment, fed me curry and cookie dough, and listened to me cry a lot when this book was hard. I planned the war campaign for the revision of the (god-awful) first draft on the back of a door in their apartment with (I believe) every Post-it Note that they owned. They are so good at creating “home” wherever they are for the people around them, and I’m a better person for knowing them.
Deanna Hoak copyedited this book with exquisite grace. She brought a real artistry and elegance to a process that so many people consider to be staid and unlovely, and I profess myself awed. The artist of the spectacularly beautiful cover was Ryan Begley, the gorgeous map was drawn by Drew Willis, and the designer was Nicholas Sciacca—I am convinced that no one who does such splendid work could be anything but splendid people as well. Brilliant work, all of you.
My little coterie of writers, the Author Sack, is a source of so much love and support—I’m so glad I have you guys, but I’m even more glad that you also have each other. Writing is a very lonely job sometimes, but it’s a lot less lonely with you nerds in my life. Thank you.
More from the Author
A Conspiracy of Truths
About the Author
Photograph copyright © 2018 by Charles Darrell
Alexandra Rowland is the author of A Conspiracy of Truths and, occasionally, a bespoke seamstress under the stern supervision of her feline quality control manager. She holds a degree in world literature, mythology, and folklore from Truman State University, and she is one of three hosts of the literary podcast Be the Serpent. Find her at alexandrarowland.net, on Twitter as @_alexrowland, or wandering the woods of western Massachusetts.
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A Conspiracy of Truths
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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First Saga Press trade paperback edition September 2019
CIP data for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-1-5344-1283-5
ISBN 978-1-5344-1285-9 (ebook)