Scales and Sensibility by Stephanie Burgis

Acknowledgments

Thank you so much to the beta-readers who cheered on my first draft of this book all the way back in 2010 and then kept on reminding me about it over the years, arguing for me to keep my faith in this story as I waited for the market to shift: Jenn Reese, Patrick Samphire, Tricia Sullivan, Tiffany Trent, and Karen Healey. I appreciate all of you so much!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to critique this book for me, whether in its original form or in its 2021 re-conception: Patrick Samphire, Jenn Reese, Marissa Lingen, Claire Fayers, Mette Ivie Harrison, and Barry Goldblatt. All of your thoughtful feedback made a big difference!

Thank you so much to the sharp-eyed readers who helped me catch typos and other mistakes along the way as I first posted these chapters on Patreon: Jenn Greiving, Karen Kisner, Fiona Morton, TheSFReader, Katrina Middelburg, Elisa Wiik, Julia Knowles, and Risa Bobroff Myers. You made this book better for everyone!

Thank you to Ravven for designing the utterly gorgeous front cover of this book and to Patrick Samphire for designing the spine and back cover of the paperback edition.

Thank you to my wonderful agent, Molly Ker Hawn, for selling the audio rights for me and being a fierce advocate every time I needed you (and reminding me to rest when I needed that, too).

And thank you so much to all of my patrons, who kept me such fabulous company as I serialized this novel over the course of 2021! I absolutely loved reading your comments and conversations about every new chapter along the way.

Specifically, thank you to Abigail Gawith, A. C. Bauer, Alexis, Ali Baker, Amanda Taylor-Chaisson, Amber Alexander, Amy K., Anna M., Anne Nesbet, Asha Hartland, Beatrice Berendonk, Brandi Blackburn, Brooke Johnson, Cara Scheffler, Charlotte Taylor, Cheresse Burke, Courtney Havens, Creektaken, D. Franklin, d+tee, Dana Levy, Daniel Fishman, David Schwartz, Deb Horng, Deborah Dakin, Delia Sherman, Demet Charlotte Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik, Doreen Farrar, Edmond Hyland, Elisa Wiik, Elizabeth Chuter, Elizabeth Gentry, Eric Schneider, Fiona Morton, Francene Lewis, Gabe Krabbe, Gail Morse, H. Nieuwenhuijzen, Heather Holt, Holly Westlund, Intisar Khanani, Jacqueline Seamon, Jasmine Stairs, Jen Stiles, Jenn Greiving, Jenn Reese, Jenni, Jim Burke, Jim Dean, Joanna, Jody Myers, Julia Knowles, Julia Linthicum, Julia Rios, Kara Snow, Karen Keyte, Karen Kisner, Karen Riegle, Kate Proctor, Katharine, Kathleen Sheppard, Kathy Martin, Katrina Middelburg, Kayden Harper, Kimberly M. Lowe, Konstanze Tants, Kyna Foster, Lab, Laura B., Laura Watkins, Lauren, Leanne Rabesa, Leng M., Libby Gorman, Lillian Tschudi-Campbell, Linda Duvall, Lindsay Eager, Lisa Moore, Liz, Llinos Cathryn Wynn-Jones, Lora Timonin, Lydia San Andres, Mariam Zama, Marissa Lingen, Mary Anne Anderson, Mary Grove, Mary Perthen, Mary-Anne Mitchell, Melita Kennedy, Melody, Michael Bernardi, Michele Wellck, Molly Van Ryn, Morgana Kay, Mynda Cruz, Nancy Glassman, Naomi Twery, Navessa Allen, Nicola, Nicole Hunter, Pamela, Patricia Anderson, Rachel Halpern, Rebecca, Rebecca Joseph French, Robert Tienken, Rosemary Claire Smith, Roxanne Baechler-Gill, Rupal Patel, S.P., Sadie Slater, Sam Karpierz, Sandstone, Sara Carmody, Sara Glassman, Sarah Cannon, Sarah Fleming, Sarah Fünke, Sarah Swarbrick, S.B. Beasley, Selina Lock, Sharon Corbet, Solomon Foster, Sorrel Jones, Stitchy Adri, Susan Franzblau, Susannah Cooke, Tahmi DeSchepper, Tamara Case, The SF Reader, Vickie R., Victoria Cook, Virginia Farris, and Vivian Behrman.

I appreciate every single one of you so much, and you all brightened 2021 for me.