I’d like to thank Diane Reagan for a wonderful refresher on dream magic, and Mushtaq Ali Shah for the formal introduction to lucid arts. Special thanks should be given to my dear friend Peter O’Donnell, creator of the Modesty Blaise novels and comic strips, whose fans will recognize his influence here.
There are beloved snippets of other genre classics as well. As George Lucas was influenced by Akira Kurosawa’s Hidden Fortress, cinephiles might well notice the influence of his Yojimbo as well as the amazing Kenji Misumi’s Sword of Vengeance. Fans of Asian cinema might also wonder if I have seen John Woo’s Hard Boiled. Rest assured I have, and I hope you have as well.
For Cliff Stewart, Dr. John LaTourette, Richard Bustillo, Hawkins Cheung, Dawn Callan, and Harley “Swift Deer” Reagan.
True teachers never die; they merely become one with the Force.
And a very special thanks to my soulmate, the amazing and talented Tananarive Due, and my beloved sister, Joyce. And to my niece, Sharlene, and her delightful children, Maya and Vincent, who let me borrow their names. I give thanks for them every day, and tomorrow will be no exception.
So much love for all of you. Always.
Steven Barnes
Upland, California