Writing a book is a massive undertaking, and I wouldn’t have come close to pulling it off if it weren’t for so many amazing people.
In many ways, this is a book about friendship and the twists and turns it takes. I’m not going to say I’ve got it figured out, but I owe a huge thanks to my childhood best friends, The Quad: Isaac, Jayson, and Brooks. We might be spread across the world now, but the time we’ve spent together, the memories we’ve made, and the jokes we’ve shared inspired a lot of the good in this story. I’m glad we’ve got it together more than Jack and his crew.
Much of this book was written while I hung out at Great Flood Brewing Co. and Mile Wide Beer Co. here in Louisville, Kentucky. To the bartenders, friends, brewers, and trivia hosts I met, thank you for giving me a space to write, great company to enjoy, and, of course, some of the best beers in Kentucky. Louisville’s lucky to have such great spots.
Thank you to everyone I met in my MFA at Concordia St. Paul—Riana, Matt, Karlajean, Maggie, Cam, Missy, Taylor, John, and tons of others I’m sure I’m forgetting—but especially to Matt Ryan, who believed in this book and pushed me to make it better, even when I pushed back. I’m so, so lucky to have spent two years in such good company.
To Brian, thanks for the feedback you offered. You have no idea how valuable it is to have such a trusted early reader. You’re a good friend.
To my dad, thank you for showing me the levelheadedness and resilience needed to do hard things. I’m not going to say that writing a book is anywhere near as difficult as working forty-something years in an aluminum factory, but the example you’ve set time after time has shown me that yes, even when things seem tough, we can keep going. And to my mom, thank you for the love you gave. You supported me when I wanted to study English and go on to complete my MFA, and the kindness you showed toward my writing encouraged me to keep going. I love you, and I wish I would have finished this in time for you to read it.
To my wife, Ashley, thank you for your love and strength and all-out grit. You stun me day after day, and the support you’ve shown, from watching our daughter so I can write to being honest with me when you read my work, has given me the awareness and confidence needed to keep going in this crazy endeavor called writing. You’re the best.
Lastly, to my daughter, Cecilia, thank you for being you. Your mom and I couldn’t have asked for a better kid.