ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PRISONER OF THE IRON TOWER would never have made it without:

The two best (and most rigorous!) editors an author could hope for: Anne Groell at Bantam US and Simon Taylor at Transworld UK and their respective teams.

My agents, Merrilee Heifetz of Writer’s House and John Parker of MBA, for making it all possible.

Steve Youll for stunning cover art.

The talented Neil Gower for deciphering my scrawl and transforming it into such a wonderful map of New Rossiya.

My brilliant webmaster, Ariel, editor of The Alien Online (who would be better described as a web-magician for his skills in setting up sarah-ash.com).

My headmaster, Mike Totterdell, and colleagues at Oak Lodge School, for their support and encouragement.

And my husband, Michael, for being there (and all those cups of tea).

Thanks, everyone, you’ve been great!