A Heart So Fierce and Broken (The Cursebreaker Series) (35 page)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Buckle up. Here we go.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken
is my eleventh published novel, so it’s really tempting to pull the acknowledgments from prior books and just copy and paste, especially since my kids are in the next room tormenting each other, but I am truly grateful to each and every person who supports me and my career, and I really do want to take a moment to name everyone I can.

It’s also tempting to make a numbered list and just go with that, so that’s what I’m going to do, especially since this is the only part of the book my editor doesn’t touch.

Huge thanks go to:

1) Michael. (My husband. He’s amazing. He always comes first. You would not be holding this book in your hands without his love and support backing me up.)

2) My mother. My mom is a truly special person who … I have no idea what I was about to say, because I just had to break up a fight between my kids. But my mother is phenomenal, and I don’t know what I’d do without her. I know she’ll understand why I lost track of that sentence. Thank you for everything, Mom.

3) My best friend, Bobbie Goettler. I <3 you, friend. I’m so glad we met each other on that message board so many years ago.

4) My amazing agent, Mandy Hubbard, who is brave and fearless and kind, and I don’t know what I’d do without her.

5) My stellar editor, Mary Kate Castellani, who is equally brave and fearless and kind, and never gives up until my writing is the best it can be.

I can’t believe I’m making a numbered list for this. But now I’ve started and it’s only a matter of time before the boys start pummeling each other again, so onward!

6) The incredible team at Bloomsbury. Tremendous thanks go to Cindy Loh, Claire Stetzer, Anna Bernard, Lily Yengle, Courtney Griffin, Erica Barmash, Valentina Rice, Brittany Mitchell, Phoebe Dyer, Beth Eller, Ellen Holgate, Emily Moran, Emily Marples, Cal Kenny, Jeanette Levy, Donna Mark, as well as Diane Aronson and Jill Amack and the copyediting team, along with everyone else at Bloomsbury who played a role in putting this book into your hands. Please know that my gratitude is endless, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your efforts on my behalf.

7) Many people read this manuscript, in part or in whole, and offered their input and insights. Special thanks to Bobbie Goettler, Jim Hilderbrandt, Hannah McBride, Michelle MacWhirter, Diana Peterfreund, Lee Bross, Shyla
Stokes, Steph Messa, Joy George, Bill Konigsberg, Reba Gordon, Rae Chang, Tracy Houghton, Nicole Choiniere-Kroeker, Anna Bright, and Allie Christo. This book wouldn’t have gotten to this point without you all. Thank you.

8) Jodi Picoult. (Yes, really. OMG. You all should have seen my face when I got that first DM on Twitter.) Thank you for all your insight and input into this book. I still can’t believe I get to call you a friend.

9) Research friends! Many thanks to Maegan Chaney-Bouis, MD, for all the medical information. I love being able to send a text about the most bizarre fantastical situations I can think of and getting a straightforward medical analysis in return. Additional thanks to Steve Horrigan of Stone Forge CrossFit for answers about rope climbing, animal carrying, military training, and hand-to-hand combat and especially for not batting an eye at my weird questions. All information given was accurate and factual; any and all errors in this book are mine.

10) Extra special thanks to book bloggers, bookstagrammers, book vloggers, and anyone who uses their voice to spread the word about books they love. You helped make this series a success, and while I can’t thank each of you individually, please know that I see you and I love you and I can’t thank you enough.

11) The Kemmerer boys, Jonathan, Nick, Sam, and ZachARY (“Spell it with the A-R-Y, Mom!!”). Thank you for
giving me the space to follow my dreams. I can’t wait to see you follow your own. Then again, if you don’t stop bickering, I’m going to delete this paragraph.

12) You. Yeah, you. You’re a part of my dream, too. I’m so grateful that you’ve taken the time to read this book. It means so much to me that you’ve invited my characters into your heart, because I know that means you’ll carry them with you forever, even if it’s only in the smallest way. Thank you.

Devour the breathtaking first novel in the
CURSEBREAKER

series

‘Absolutely spellbinding … An intensely original retelling’

Stephanie Garber

Have you read
BRIGID KEMMERER’S

acclaimed previous novels?

‘A deep and thoughtful story about forming a connection with a stranger through nothing more than words’

Zoella & Friends Book Club

Don’t miss this intense and gripping love story from the author of
A HEART SO FIERCE AND BROKEN

‘Topical, psychologically astute and – yes – swoon-inducing’

Irish Times

And introducing
YOUR NEW OBSESSION

‘Gripping, heartfelt and layered’

Kirkus Reviews

OUT NOW!

BLOOMSBURY YA

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP, UK

BLOOMSBURY, BLOOMSBURY YA and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

First published in the USA in 2020 by Bloomsbury YA

This edition published in Great Britain in 2020 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Text copyright © Brigid Kemmerer, 2020

Brigid Kemmerer has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: HB: 978-1-5266-1844-3; PB: 978-1-4088-8508-6; eBook: 978-1-4088-8509-3

Cover design by Jeanette Levy

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