An author is often like a single parent, trying to raise and nurture a creation inspired in a moment of great passion. A creation that sometimes behaves in a most ungrateful, nearly spiteful manner, causing endless headaches and feelings of anger, remorse, helplessness, and depression. And sometimes joy.
And like a parent, the author depends upon a network of helpers—mentors, doctors, comforters, and commiserators—to remain relatively sane while completing the task of seeing this child out into the world. I wish to thank all those in my network: Jennifer Belle and the Muses, who make my Wednesdays heaven or hell; my lovely wife, Barbara Segal, aka Ruby, and the Pawley’s readers, whose feedback and support are essential; Richard Fiske, Chris Gaun, Jesse Leo, Effie-Marie Smith, Tim O’Rourke, Melissa Mourges, and Robert LaRussa, all of whom gave invaluable advice and corrected so many of my mistakes (any remaining ones are entirely my own); my incomparable agents, Judith Weber and Nat Sobel, who inspire me to be “even better,” and their team who magically solve all of my problems; Neil Nyren and the whole Putnam crew, without whose guidance I would be floundering in an industry that so rarely makes any sense to me; and to all of my readers, for this act of creation is not complete until the reader has shared in the experience.
Keep the Kid in your hearts.