The quote Gabi remembers, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision that something is more important than that fear,” was something I heard in The Princess Diaries. The quote was originally written by Ambrose Redmoon (aka James Neil Hollingworth.) I thought it was especially appropriate for Gabi to think about, given all she had to deal with. The other quotes she thinks of, mostly attributed to her mom or dad, are quotes that often come to my mind; I’m uncertain where I first picked them up.

While I worked hard to stay historically accurate, a lot of this series is a figment of my imagination. We visited a medieval castle not far from where I placed Castello Forelli-in that region of Tuscany, they seem to be on every other hill. However, all of my characters, including the Paratores and Forellis, are fictional.

Special thanks to Christine Cantera, writer and blogger at WhyGo France and longtime expat, who helped me with all my Italian and French translations.

MANY THANKS go out to my readers in my focus group, the River of Time Tribe girls, who helped me make this book better (and called me out when I was making my teen characters sound too adult): Olivia B., Cynthia Y., Madison B., Megan D., Mandy H., Megan B., Hannah C., Courtney F., Callie G., Kayla G., Beth H., Cierra J., Ciara K., Keighley K., Emma M., Sarah P., Bridget R., Caitlynn R., Mary Kate B., Kaitlin B., Ellie B., Morgan F., Kirsten G., Joyce H., Diamond J., Kaeli N., Haylee S., Emily B., Courtney B., Hannah C., Erin C., Bethany D., Stephanie D., Kassidy K., Lindsay, Shelby L., Hannah M., Jordan M., Dongjoo P., Taylor R., Jillian S., Alysa T., and Rebecca T. Thanks, friends!