Acknowledgments

This book would not exist if not for the kindness and generosity of a whole passel of folks. Here are a few:

The Story Warren family, notably James Witmer, Andrew Mackay, and Sam Smith, have given so often and so selflessly of their counsel, their editing, their story advice, and so much more. I’m blessed to call you friends. Thanks for being my people.

The Rabbit Room is a warm, winsome community of friends, allies, and fellow dreamers-of-Kingdom-dreams who have nudged, encouraged, and filled my sails with the wind needed for this and many other journeys.

The kind souls in the Rochester Area Children’s Writers and Illustrators (RACWI) have nurtured and guided me, as well as providing some lovely opportunities to help many awesome kids get to know Tumbleweed a little.

Carrie Givens, Carolyn Leiloglou, and Helena Sorensen have all offered timely story advice and wielded the editing machete with grace. Plus, they’re just about the most awesome book-loving folks you’ll ever meet.

Jonathan Rogers remains Fiction Yoda and the best dang storyteller I know. I promise to always write close to the earth.

Brannon McAllister makes beautiful things. This book is one of them, and I can’t wait to see what he’ll come up with next.

And…

I’m especially grateful to my buddy Joe Sutphin for saddling up and riding out in search of new territory with me. Your work is inspiring, brilliant, and stupefyingly awesome, but your friendship is all of those things and more. Let’s do this again sometime!

Over 400 backers believed in this story, and I’m thrilled to deliver a book for you all to gather around.

And, of course, my wife Danielle is as loyal, zany, and truly wonderful a partner as I could ever have asked for. She’s also a dang good editor and makes some prize-winning ginger snap cookies of her own.

Lastly, to you, the reader. Thanks for joining me in Rattlesnake Junction. I’m glad you came, and hope you’ll drop by again soon!