This story is close to my heart, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to thank the people who helped me bring it to life. I thank God for giving me the gift and inspiration to write; my agent, Ted Malawer, who believed in this story from the beginning; Loren and Sue Sherod, who shared their Vietnam-era experiences with me, Loren as an enlisted man, and Sue as the girl who waited for him back home. Risa Saltman generously gave me an entire afternoon, a cup of coffee, and her memories of those tumultuous times. I’d also like to acknowledge Jack Saltman, who served in Vietnam and never let Neil or Pam have toy guns.
My father was an air force recruiter toward the end of the Vietnam War (though it was never officially declared a “war”). My dad always had a joke for you, a new card trick, or a good candy bar. I never knew about the things that had happened to him while he was a recruiter until I was an adult and he shared some of his experiences with me. When he first started reading my work, he told me, “If I could do this, write like this, I wouldn’t do anything else.” I think he would be proud of me and of this book.
Maria Madgett supports me with her friendship and prayers. Matthew Haworth dazzles me every day with complex yo-yo tricks, hence Ray’s love of yo-yos. Michelle Carr and Steve Haworth read countless versions of the manuscript and took the time to offer thoughtful comments and suggestions. My sweet brother Chris, who no longer walks this earth, came over every day for a week, put on the ugly reading glasses, and read the manuscript out loud with me until we were both hoarse and laughing too much. He loved Joshua and Jack, but he really hoped I would follow up with a story called Prater.
My editor, Stacy Cantor Abrams, makes me a better writer. I am grateful for Stacy and all the people at Walker who work with me to give the reader the best experience possible—getting lost in a book.