Blackfish City(91)

The Wyrd Words Writing Retreat, which gave me the chance to work out the kinks on this hot mess in an enchanted castle fellowship with incredibly gifted writers and readers. Eric San Juan, Craig Laurence Gidney, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Stephen Segal, Valya Lupescu, Scott Woods, and K. Tempest Bradford all gave me vital advice and support and critique and “definitely don’t do this.”

My beloved Israelis, who—in addition to a lifetime of fantasticness—hosted me during the difficult time that this book was on submission and distracted me with tons of delicious food and strong coffee and tourism and love: Lynne, Avshalom, Oded, Shmuela, Leah, Miri, Liat, Amit, Gal, Dror, Mia, Yonatan, Roy, Daniel, Noam, Tamir, Romi, Ori, and Shira!

My sister, Sarah, and her husband, Eric—and my nephew, Hudson, for whose sake I’ll keep on fighting like hell to keep a future like this one from coming to be.

My mother, Deborah Miller—survivor and inspiration.

Finally and forever, my husband, Juancy—firebender, crystal gem, roustabout—who I know would bend the sky and break the sea and the laws of physics to come rescue me, even if it took thirty years, no matter how many evildoers he had to slaughter in the process. Love you more than the earth we stand on.