Last Things and I owe huge thanks to:
Universal Music Center of Red Wing, Minnesota, including founder Mike Arturi, instructor Mark Woerpel, and all the guitar students who let me lurk around their lessons and ask a thousand questions.
Phil Hansen, librarian/guitarist/metalhead/all-around awesome person, for giving this book an early and careful read.
My critique group: Anne Greenwood Brown, Lauren Peck, Connie Kingrey Anderson, Li Boyd, and Heather Anastasiu, for just the right mix of encouragement and evisceration.
My brother Dan, for being my go-to source for answers to odd medical questions.
The amazing Danielle Chiotti and the rest of the team at Upstart Crow Literary, for supporting this book from the very start.
My editor, Martha Mihalick, and everyone at Greenwillow, especially Lois Adams, Anne Dunn, Virginia Duncan, Bess Braswell, Audrey Diestelkamp, Gina Rizzo, and Haley George. This book and I are so unbelievably lucky to have you on our side.
Leo Nickolls and Paul Zakris, for this gorgeous cover.
A whole lot of bands: Opeth, In Flames, Trivium, DragonForce (Anders plays an Ibanez because of Herman Li), Chelsea Wolfe, Killswitch Engage, Mastodon, Type O Negative, Tool, Alaya, and Source. In my daydreams, Last Things sounds like a mixture of all of you.
My family, for the endless support and for all the babysitting.
And to Ryan—who, like this book, is all of my favorite things in one place.