The Royal Treatment (20 page)

W
riting a book is hard. Writing a second book? Harder. Or more difficult. Or just straight-up crazy-making. So I owe my sanity to the following people. Thank you all for helping me continue Desi’s wild adventures.…

First, always first, my fabulous agent, Sarah Davies. Your understanding, calm, and caring are unmatched in this business.

Editors really should have their name somewhere on the cover as well. Emily Schultz, who championed Desi first and helped me establish the direction of this book and series. Catherine Onder, who is listed under DELIGHTFUL in the dictionary. Thank you for your keen eye, smart questions, and for keeping me calm and focused during crunch time. And Rachel Boden, for promoting the sparkle on the other side of the pond.

Hallie Patterson, Dina Sherman, Mollyanne M. Thomas, Nellie Kurtzman, and Ann Dye, THANK YOU for spreading the word near and far. Also, the rest of the folks at Disney-Hyperion—Sara Liebling Marybeth Tregarthen, Marci Senders, and David Jaffe, Mark Amundsen, and Drew Richardson. You’re a wonderful team, and I’m so glad to work with you all.

I wouldn’t be able to write, period, if I didn’t have help with my children (and if my children and family weren’t so wonderful to begin with—go, team). Thanks for the babysitting from Carol Taylor, Jan Leavitt, Rachel and Spencer Orr, Claire and Liz Watson, Kaycie and Ravyn Brown, and especially Curry, a.k.a. Husband of the Century.

Beta-reader Caroline Thuet for helping me get into a tween girl’s head. Ali Fredrick for your detailed insights on beauty pageants. The many schools and stores I’ve visited along the way—each place I’ve learned something new about the book and about me. And my writing friends! You know I would have checked out long ago without your doses of perspective.

Lastly, the readers. You are amazing. Your e-mails, notes, links, letters, pictures, tweets…I cherish every one. Thank you for being a part of this series. I get to do what I do because you are there.