FOR SHEILA

editor, friend, soul of patience

. . . and the one who got me into all this in the first place.

And many thanks to the usual suspects and a few new ones, all of them more generous with their time, advice, and encouragement than any author has the right to hope for:

Lynne Kemen and Bill Rossow

Barbara Newman and Stephen Morris

Antonia Bryan

Martin Beadle

Kenny Leon

Charlotte Zoe Walker

and the dedicated organizers and supporters of Oneonta Outloud, where portions of this book were first read.