The beginning of this voyage was launched one November in what is becoming many years ago. For that I would like to thank Amelia and Clara for introducing me to NaNoWriMo; otherwise I would never have found the time for such a chunk of writing.

Also, thank you both for instilling in me the Fear of Historically Inaccurate Clothing and Hairstyles. I have probably still managed some Woeful Inaccuracies, but not nearly so many as I would have otherwise.

I would like to express my gratitude to Sarah and Heidi for being my writing partners…though I still think it was more profitable for me than for you, Heidi. Alas, things kept coming up for you to take care first while I escaped to a place where I could keep typety-typing away. Thank you for the companionship.

I am grateful to Cindy Vallar for her workshops on Historical Fiction and Sailing I was able to take. There was so much useful information. It was between that and Richard Henry Dana, Jr.’s Two Years Before the Mast that I was able to get any sea legs under me in my writing at all.

I offer up a heartfelt “Thank you!” to those at Mystic Seaport who answered my plea for help on ship’s boats and directed me to the amazing resource Seamanship in the Age of Sail, by John Harland. Wow, talk about me being in over my head! It was great, and I found just what I needed and more. Thanks.

Talking about books I was thankful to be able to use, I should mention these: Kingdom of the Octopus by Frank W. Lane, Victory in Tripoli by Joshua E London, White Slaves, Black Masters by Paul Baepler, The Seaman’s Friend by R.H. Dana, and Narrative of a Ten Years’ Residence at Tripoli. The two last of those were treasures I found on Google Books. Thank you, too, hard-working public domain book scanning people.

I wish I could say I properly absorbed all that information I found thoroughly into the story, but at least don’t blame the sources for mistakes on my part. They tried.

Thanks to Aunt Laurie and Philip and James for going over the story with comments and corrections and other feedback before it ever headed toward publishing; to Clara for letting me use her photography; to Lydia for always having an opinion; and to Mother for being a willing sounding board and idea bouncer.

And Dad, you have been a great motivator and encourager in keeping on toward the finish. Thank you, with love.