I sat beside Keton on his cot. His eyes were already half closed, and a smile touched his lips. I kissed his forehead, and I pressed his cheek to mine. “Sleep, dear brother.”
“Is this real?” he murmured, clasping my hand. “Are you really here? Did Baba really laugh?”
“Yes, yes,” I said. “I’m here. And Baba did laugh. He will, again and again until we never forget the sound—because we’re together. And we will be again, soon. Now sleep.”
I listened as his breathing slowed. In and out it wove, in and out—that steady rhythm meant he was fast asleep. I wrapped a blanket over Baba’s shoulders and pulled up Keton’s so it covered his chest. Then, careful not to make a sound, I left our shop.
The last vestiges of the red sun painted the horizon in crimson. I shielded my eyes from its light and sat on my carpet. In the glass window of Baba’s shop, a shadow flickered in my reflection’s eyes—making them sparkle blood-red.
A shiver coursed down my spine. Just a trick of the light, I told myself. From the red sun.
I watched the sky until the last strains of daylight faded, washed over by the black of night. Yet as I soared over Port Kamalan’s glittering waters back to the palace, that shiver settled in me. I knew I had ended my tale to Baba and Keton on a wondrous note. I had been afraid to tell them the truth, that my homecoming was not the end of my story.
But a new and terrible beginning.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My book would not be in your hands without Gina Maccoby, my stalwart agent. Thank you, Gina, for seeing something special in my writing and giving me a chance, for helping me hone my writing to be the best it can be, and for believing in me through the ups and downs of my path to publication. You are the mentor I always dreamed of having.
To Katherine Harrison, editor extraordinaire. I knew from the beginning that Maia had found her home with you, and I’m thankful that fate landed my book in your hands. Thank you for making her story even stronger with your keen edits, and for championing Spin the Dawn in ways I didn’t even know were possible.
A hearty thank-you to the Knopf BFYR team: Alex Hess, Alison Impey, Julia Maguire, Mary McCue, Jaclyn Whalen, Alison Kolani, Tracy Heydweiller, Jake Eldred, Artie Bennett, Janet Renard, Amy Schroeder, and Barbara Perris for the incredible enthusiasm, time, and effort you put behind making this book not just a reality, but also a work of art to read, hold, and cherish.
Thank you, Tran Nguyen, for a tremendous cover that breathed life into Maia Tamarin. I’ve lost count of how many indulgent hours I’ve spent staring at it. I couldn’t have imagined a more fitting cover, and I love it so much. To Virginia Allyn, for your breathtaking map; my heart still flutters every time I notice a new detail on it.
To Doug Tyskiewicz and Leslie Zampetti, my critique partners: I’m convinced one of the hardest things about writing is finding a steady critique group with fellow authors whose work and company you enjoy. I am so lucky to have found you two and even luckier to call you both my friends.
To Patti Lee Gauch, for her life-changing advice on voice (don’t flinch!), and for inspiring me to light the spark in my writing. To Gregory Maguire and Patricia McMahon, for reminding me to unravel the threads of my favorite fairy tales and keep Maia tough. And I’d be remiss not to include Nancy Sondel and the wonderful teens and adults at the Pacific Coast Children’s Writers Workshop, who gave me valuable feedback on Spin the Dawn during its early days.
To my fellow writers Liz Braswell, Kat Cho, Bess Cozby, Suzi Guina, Joanna Ruth Meyer, Lauren Spieller, June Tan, and Swati Teerdhala, for their friendship and advice, and for squealing with me over bookish updates and agonizing together over drafting and revisions. I’ve learned so much from you all. Thank you also to Roselle Lim, for her insight into Chinese embroidery schools and for her sewing expertise; Sarah Neilson, for her thoughtful feedback, so much of which has strengthened Spin the Dawn’s story; Heidi Heilig, for being such an encouraging force for aspiring writers; and Jen Gaska at Pop! Goes the Reader, for graciously hosting Spin the Dawn’s cover reveal.
A big shout-out to the Electric 18s, for being the most amazing debut group a