This book was influenced in many ways by Amy Lansky,
my publisher, my critic, my best friend, my Glinda. Amy has
inspired me to be my most romantic and has encouraged
me to write these books.
My editor, Jena Roach, continues to wade through my
rough drafts, holds me to a higher standard, and forces me
to rewrite more than I sometimes would like.
I also want to thank the people who helped me write
about those subjects I know nothing about. Maddy Schwarz
gave me an understanding of gymnastics, Dmitry Nadezhin
helped me with the Russian language, and Robert W. Hon
taught me about surfing.
Diogo Landô did a great job on the cover art.
Quick! Name a popular book that deals with a young
person thrust into a world of magic-a book that was
instantly popular and translated into dozens of languages.
Beyond being a publishing sensation, it inspired many
other books and movies. No, I'm not talking about Harry
Potter. I'm referring to a different book that appeared one
hundred years earlier: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. L.
Frank Baum wrote the book and really deserves most of the
credit for what followed. But the movie screenplay which
inspired most of us was written by Noel Langley, Florence
Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf. The songs were by Herbert
Stothart and Yip Harburg. To everyone who had a hand in
creating The Wizard of Oz, thanks.
Finally, I must give a shout-out to Stanley Ardman, who
is there for me every minute of the day.