P. Hoover - Solstice

GLOBAL WARMING—the increase in the average temperature of Earth’s near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation

GLOBAL HEATING CRISIS (GHC)—the official name of the global warming disaster in the world of Solstice

UNDERWORLD—a region in Greek mythology under the surface of Earth where the souls of the recently departed go; identified with Hell

Greek Gods

HADES—god of the Underworld

ARES—god of war

ZEUS—king of the gods

PERSEPHONE—queen of the Underworld

DEMETER—goddess of the harvest

APHRODITE—goddess of love and beauty

THANATOS—personification of death

FATES—three personifications of destiny

APATE—personification of deceit

People and Creatures Who Live in the Underworld

CHARON—ferryman; shuttles souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron

CERBERUS—three-headed dog; guards the gates of the Underworld

MINOS—ancient Cretan king; oversees the Asphodel Meadows in the Underworld

AEACUS—ancient Aeginian king; oversees Tartarus in the Underworld

RHADAMANTHUS—ancient Cretan king; oversees the Elysian Fields in the Underworld

SISYPHUS—a king sentenced to Tartarus; made to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this throughout eternity

PIRITHOUS—a king sentenced to Tartarus for attempting to steal the wife of Hades

TANTALUS—a king sentenced to Tartarus; never allowed food or drink but always having it just out of reach

Underworld Places

ELYSIAN FIELDS (ELYSIUM)—the final resting place of the heroic and the virtuous

ASPHODEL MEADOWS—a section of the Underworld where indifferent and ordinary souls are sent to live after death

TARTARUS—a place in the Underworld for those souls judged to receive eternal punishment

Underworld Rivers

ACHERON—sorrow; the newly dead are ferried across Acheron to enter the Underworld

COCYTUS—lamentation; boundary between the Elysian Fields and the rest of the Underworld

LETHE—oblivion; boundary between the Asphodel Meadows and the rest of the Underworld

STYX—hate; boundary between Earth and the Underworld

PHLEGETHON—fire; boundary between Tartarus and the rest of the Underworld

I owe a huge thank you to so many people for making this book what it is today.

To Riley who thinks every idea I have for a new story is a great one. Thank you for believing in me.

To Zachary who mentioned, when I was telling him about the Underworld, that there would be monsters swimming around in the rivers.

To Lola who makes art day after day that inspires my writing and my stories.

To Mom & Dad who supported me during an extra year of college so I could get a History degree and learn bunches more about Greek mythology.

To Jessica Lee Anderson who drops anything to offer help on subjects ranging from what the smoothest Merlot is to how the world would look in a Global Warming future.

To my agent Laura Rennert who shared my vision for this book and has supported my career since we first met at Big Sur. To Lara Perkins for encouraging me to take my story to the next level again and again and again. To everyone else at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency who helped carry the reality of this book forward.

To all my early readers of the full manuscript who helped me shape the myth and deepen the story: Christine Marciniak, Beth Revis, Tabitha Olson, Kim Baccellia, Vivian Lee Mahoney, Stacy Nyikos, and Sarah Rettger. To all those who read portions of the story and offered wonderful feedback: Parker Peevyhouse, Kelly Herold, Patty Palmer, and Cara Frazier.

To my local Writing Group at #THEPLACE for making me feel like I have a life outside of my home office: E. Kristin Anderson, K. A. Holt, Mari Mancusi, Stephanie Pellegrin, Jessica Lee Anderson, Madeline Smoot, and Jenny Ziegler.

To Spiderhouse Café for playing the most OSUM writing music and giving #THEPLACE a home.

To my fellow Texas Sweethearts & Scoundrels who share the experiences of being an author and who make marketing so much fun: Jo Whittemore, Jessica Lee Anderson, K. A. Holt, Jeanette Larson, Emma Virjan, and Don Tate.

To the Austin writing community, especially Cynthia Leitich Smith and Austin SCBWI… you guys make me feel so lucky to live here! The best people. The best events. The best support. The best fun!

To anyone else I may have missed, please consider yourself thanked! I am so appreciative for all the advice and feedback and support I’ve received on this journey.

Thank you!