ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my agent, Helen Heller, my miracle worker. To Sarah Manges at Penguin Putnam, for always going the extra mile. To Anne Collins at Random House Canada, for all her wonderful advice. To Antonia Hodgson at Little, Brown and Co, UK, for her early and ongoing support. To Bev Irwin for her professional advice on the medical segments. Finally, to my family, for usually letting me retreat undisturbed to my writing dungeon and for forgiving the snarling that erupts when they trespass.