Doomed Queens (50 page)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A
s solitary an undertaking as a book may be, it was impossible to create
Doomed Queens
without help from many sources. It is with grateful mind and heart that I acknowledge all those who so generously helped me as I wrote, designed, and illustrated this book.

I send a big bouquet of thanks to the good people of Broadway Books, most especially my gifted editor, Kristine Puopolo. Kris’s incisive wit and wisdom made her a joy to work with. Kris’s serenely helpful assistant, Stephanie Bowen, added much to the editorial process. Art director Jean Traina conceptualized and designed
Doomed Queens
’ wonderfully Dadaesque cover.

At the Park Literary Group, Theresa Park has been there for me and my books for more than a decade. When I first described what I thought was a very dark and strange book concept, it was Theresa’s immediate and warm enthusiasm that convinced me to develop it into what became
Doomed Queens
. For this reason and many others, this book is dedicated to her. Much gratitude also goes out to Shannon O’Keefe, Amanda Cardinale, and Abigail Koons.

The models who gamely posed for the drawings in this book were incredibly patient as I dressed them up in period costume, cheerfully wielding whatever weapon or motivation I threw their way. In alphabetical order, they were: Alice Barrett-Mitchell, Stephanie Bowen, Abraham Danz, Jill Dowling, Monica Hernandez, Lisa Hunt, Annmaria Mazzini, Jo Anna Mitchell, Cassandra O’Neill, Theresa Park, Glen Parker, Jacqueline Parker, Kristine Puopolo, and Diane Saarinen. Also on the art end, the digital resources of the Library of Congress provided many of the historical images peppered throughout this book.

My family and friends were very supportive as I worked on
Doomed Queens
. I am especially grateful to my husband, Thomas Ross Miller, whose scholarship provides me with much inspiration and who always believes in my work. My daughter, Thea, was very tolerant of the long hours I spent working on this book; during this period, Cassandra O’Neill provided us with superb childcare and household support. I am also appreciative of the thoughtful conversation, e-mails, and tireless cheerleading of Ed and Joyce Miller, Jennifer Johnson, Karen Zuegner, Lisa Hunt, my NC posse, Alan Davis, Benjamin Salazar, and Stephanie St. Pierre—thank you all!

PUBLISHED BY BROADWAY BOOKS

Copyright © 2008 by Kris Waldherr

All Rights Reserved

Published in the United States by Broadway Books, an imprint of The Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.broadwaybooks.com

BROADWAY BOOKS
and its logo, a letter B bisected on the diagonal, are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Waldherr, Kris.

Doomed queens / Kris Waldherr. —1st ed.

p. cm.

1. Queens—Biography. 2. Empresses—Biography. I. Title.

D107.3.W35 2008

920.72—dc22

2008021959

eISBN: 978-0-7679-3103-8

v3.0