Many people contributed to this book, and I thank them. I thank Cheryl and Wayne Bazzle, my parents, who let me leave my drawings and weird projects all over the house when I was a kid, and who continue to encourage me. I thank Andrea and Lenore, my family, who support me and bear with me through the ups and downs of the writing life. I love you both. I thank Maceo Montoya, my friend and tireless reader. I thank my uncle, Tim Coveney, for his wisdom and excellent web design. I thank the rest of my friends and family for their kindness and support. I thank my collaborators in the comedy groups I’ve been part of (Trophy Dad, the Viola Question and Improv Athens, among others), who have guided me over the years towards what’s funny and/or interesting. I thank Stuart Dybek, who selected a portion of this book to win the Third Coast Fiction Contest. I thank Third Coast. I thank the good people at Red Hen Press, and I thank Steve Almond, who selected this novel to win the Red Hen Press Fiction Award, and whose comments helped me shape the book into its final form. And I thank the other writers and teachers who have encouraged me, especially Judith Ortiz Cofer, who died too young, and whose praise for an early version of the first chapter started me down this road.