Between the Sea and Sky (16 page)

Acknowledgments

The seed of this book began almost ten years ago. I’m sure I wasn’t the only young writer who had the
Lord of the Rings
movie soundtrack on repeat and decided I needed to write a huge fantasy epic with war and tragic death and many points of view. One of the approximately forty plot threads in my attempt was the love story between a mermaid and a winged boy. (This is why you always keep your lousy older writings!) I resurrected the good part, but this time I wrote it with the soundtracks to Studio Ghibli movies in the background, which makes for quite a difference.

Since this is my second book, I’ll try to keep it short. Thank you to:

Gordon Bell and the dearly departed Bernadine Bell, for crucial financial support of what must have seemed, at times, like a couple of artist bums.

Heather Cress, for being one of the first and only people to read this before I turned it in and for listening to me ramble as my life changed.

The Tenners, for the mutual support during our debut year; my critique partner, Jessica Spotswood; and all the rest of the writing community. I’ve got friends wherever I go; it’s so cool.

Mickey Mercer, for telling what seemed like everyone she knew about my books.

As always, my wonderful family and friends; my editor, Melanie Cecka, who knows how to feed a girl when she comes to New York City; all the rest of the team at Bloomsbury for their hard work; and my agent, Jennifer Laughran, who makes me laugh and takes ridiculously good care of me.

My partner, Dade Bell, and his continued genius solutions to all my plot problems.

And, of course, all the fans. It’s amazing how often the sweetest e-mails pop up on the worst days. I can’t do it without you guys.

Also by Jaclyn Dolamore

Magic Under Glass

Copyright © 2011 by Jaclyn Dolamore

All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages

First published in the United States of America in October 2011 by Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers

Electronic edition published in October 2011
www.bloomsburyteens.com

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Bloomsbury BFYR, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dolamore, Jaclyn.

Between the sea and sky / by Jaclyn Dolamore. — 1st U.S. ed.

p.    cm.

Summary: Esmerine, a mermaid, grows close to her childhood playmate Alander, a winged man, when they join forces to find her sister Dosia, who has reportedly eloped with a human despite the sisters’ vow to always keep the sea and its people first in their hearts.

ISBN 978-1-59990-652-2 (ebook)

[1. Mermaids—Fiction. 2. Sisters—Fiction. 3. Love—Fiction. 4. Runaways—Fiction. 5. Magic—Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.D6975Bet 2011          [Fic]—dc22          2010038094