Twelve years ago, a special woman took an awesome and wonderful risk, choosing to spend the rest of her life with me. It has been an adventure of a lifetime, and I am so grateful to be sharing it all with Mary Lu, the beautiful wife of my youth. 1C13.
To my four young adventurers: Kayla, Tommy, Bryce, and Rachel . . . you are precious beyond all the gold and jewels in all the mines of the world. Your daddy loves you always.
To the Dovel family: Olin and Lorraine for giving me your incredible daughter, first of all, and for your remarkable support of The Door Within Trilogy. To Andy and Denise Dovel whose ministry and music opened my eyes and continues to enrich my life. Thanks, too, for sharing The Door Within far and wide. To Ed and Deanna Dovel for lending me your house so that I can write in peace and for showing up at just about every book signing! To Diana Dovel for buying like a gazillion books and making sure that all your patients hear about The Door Within!
To Bill and Lisa Russell: You both have sacrificed so much of your own time and resources to get The Door Within off the ground. Let’s continue to pray BIG things for each other!
To Dave and Heather Peters, Doug and Chris Smith, Todd Wahlne, Danny Sutton, Chris and Alaina Haerbig, Dan and Courtney Cwiek, Steve and Janet Berbes, Chris and Dawn Harvey, Dan and Pam Pantera, Eric and Deb Southan, Don and Valerie Counts, Mat and Serrina Davis, and Warren Cramutola . . . with friends like you all, I will never run out of characters! (And I mean that in the nicest possible way!)
John and Diane Martindale: Thank you for taking The Door Within to so many who might not otherwise have known!
To Valerie W., Sean H., Krista G., Pat D., Laura B., Kim L., Mary O., Robin K., Linda G., Harry S., Susan P., Hannah C., Amy M., Marsha A., Conrad O.: You were among the first to step through The Door Within. I won’t forget.
To director Peter Jackson, whose vision and passion brought LOTR to the screen at last and reminded the world of why we love fantasy. Your work may have opened the door for mine. Thank you. P.S. Any chance you’ll do The Hobbit?
To the clever, creative, insightful, enthusiastic children at Folly Quarter Middle School: Thank you for lending me your brilliance in the development of this novel. Pip, Pip Cheerio! Also thanks to every one of my colleagues, my friends at FQMS! You inspire me daily! Thanks for understanding my many “gray moments” as I sought to meet my deadlines!
Special thanks to Michelle Black and the noble folks at His Way Christian Bookstores. I am in awe of your efforts to open The Door Within for others. I am honored to raise a sword with you!
To the staff of Eldersburg Public Library: Thank you for letting me “live” in your little private study room. About a third of Wyrm Lord was penned there! P.S. I’ll be back for The Final Storm!
To Kris Buker for sharing so much great literature with young people AND for setting me up with so many book talks and signings!
To Paul Peluso, Joe Burris, and Katie Champion: Thank you for your kind and eloquent words! To WBAL TV and WRBS Radio, thank you for broadcasting The Door Within over the airwaves!
Thanks to Leanna and Gordon Webb for being so trustworthy with our greatest treasures!
Special thanks to Gregg Wooding, my agent and friend, for stepping with me into uncharted territories! Who knows where this path will lead us?
To Dee Ann Grand, Beverly Phillips, June Ford, Patti Evans, Katie Broaddus, Andy Peterson, Brian Mitchell, and everyone at Thomas Nelson: Thank you for letting me be a part of this mission. I am still in awe when I consider how so many have poured their lives into The Door Within Trilogy!
To Brian, Jeff, Leslie, and Mom and Dad: For many memories such as Cross Country in a little white car, Fireworks in Atlanta, Dallas Dates, and frequent visits to Waffle Houses and Dairy Queens—thank you for this adventure of life we’ve been on together.