It’s a rare privilege when a writer has the opportunity to combine two very different passions into one pet project: in this case, physics and the Buffyverse. So I am grateful to my erstwhile Penguin editor, Caroline White, for enabling me to do just that. Caroline ignited my creative spark over lunch one day in New York City, during a broad discussion that encompassed both the difficulty of communicating the concepts of relativity to nonscientists, and our shared sorrow at the demise of one of our favorite TV series. I realized that it was possible to explain relativity and many other physics concepts using examples from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. And The Physics of the Buffyverse was born.
I feel equally privileged that Karen Anderson took over as the book’s editor when Caroline departed, because she made it such a seamless transition. Karen capably steered the book through the long and complicated production process, providing invaluable guidance, reassurance, and good cheer along the way.
While writing the book, I received much-appreciated assistance from several scientists and science writers, who graciously overlooked the seeming silliness of the subject matter to offer their expertise. Gavin Braithwaite, Kenneth Chang, Alan Chodos, Jessica Clark, Moshe Gai, David Harris, Ted Hodapp, Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, Steve Pierson, James Riordon, Marc Sher, Francis Slakey, and Ben Stein all gave helpful comments (and/or performed the odd calculation) that kept the science on track. Extra special thanks go to materials physicist/fellow Buffy fan Brymer Chin for tipping me off to the piezoelectric properties of wood; providing insight into the physics of snot; and spending a chunk of his Thanksgiving weekend “investigating” the viscoelastic properties of raw cookie dough. That’s what I call “curiosity-driven research.” I thank all of the above for their willingness to indulge their sense of play, and hope they won’t be too horrified by my creative application of their thoughtful input. Naturally, I shoulder the blame for the odd bit of conjecture and for any remaining technical errors.
Paul Dlugokencky deserves buckets of kudos for his wonderfully whimsical illustrations. The Roomful of Writers group—notably Jennifer Cohen Oko, Martha Heil, Elaine Heinzman, Pete Reppert, Kevin Ricche, Contessa Riggs, and the aforementioned James Riordon—offered their usual much-appreciated critiques. Their willingness to be brutally honest when something just wasn’t working resulted in a much better book, even if it pinched a bit at times. Ann Kottner doggedly slogged through the entire draft manuscript, suggesting ways to improve overall clarity and continuity. Thanks are also due to my agent, Mildred Marmur, for her practical advice on the business end of book publishing (of which I remain woefully ignorant). And I am grateful to Dana Rosen in Penguin’s legal department, for undertaking the thankless task of vetting every aspect of the book prior to publication. The prose is that much tighter because of her efforts.
Just as I was finishing the final revisions to the manuscript, I (belatedly) discovered the wonderful world of the blogosphere. Not only is it a natural outlet for my writerly effluvia, it is chock-full of smart, witty, science-and-art-minded folk, many of whom turned out to be kindred spirits. Abbas Raza, Robin Varghese, and Morgan Meis at 3 Quarks Daily quickly became friends. So did Sean Carroll of Cosmic Variance, who helped hone my poker skills and refine my thinking about the intricate interplay among science, myth, and metaphor. I wish I’d had the benefit of his companionship and keen insights sooner.
I am, as always, both warmed and humbled by the unwavering love, support, and infinite patience shown to me by friends and family. A few deserve special mention. Bob Mondello and Carlos Schröder saved my sanity during the most intensive periods of writing by insisting I leave the computer on occasion to come over for a home-cooked meal and actual social interaction. Peri Lyons Thalenberg boosted my flagging spirits time and again with her rapier wit, soulful wisdom, and relentless bonhomie. Rich Kim (aka “the human Google”) looked up bits of random trivia, shared his martial arts expertise, and served as a valuable sounding board as I was developing my ideas. He also makes a mean bowl of duk guk. And what can I say about my parents, Paul and Jeanne, who remain my number-one fans? I love you both.
Last, but far from least, I must thank series creator Joss Whedon and his fabulous team of writers for creating such a richly textured fictional universe. I am not the first to be inspired by his prolific imagination, and I most certainly will not be the last.