ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book occupied an exceptionally long period of my creative life, lingering what felt like indefinitely in that literary neonatal intensive care ward called The Rewrite. Years later, my kids are still drawing on the backs of old manuscript pages.

To that end, I’m profoundly grateful to all of those who sat up with it over late nights, helping it develop its strength, voice, and purpose:

Mark Henry, Matt Ware, Don Laventhall, and my wife, Christina Arndt, all read early drafts and offered valuable insight and support, back when the manuscript was called “The Black Wing.” In addition, if you were one of those people who read it early on—including random pages blown down my street on recycling day—feel free to include yourself here.

My agent, Phyllis Westberg, was always there with a kind and encouraging word, even when the draft I was turning in was radically different from the previous one she’d seen. Thanks, Phyllis.

My former editor at Ballantine, Keith Clayton, went through entire hot-eared hours with me on the phone (not to mention massive emails) sorting out what I was trying to say and endeavoring to make it the best it could be.

My spiffy new editor, Mark Tavani, has championed my work at Ballantine from the beginning, and when the time came, he was ready to step in at a moment’s notice.

As always, I’m thankful beyond words to my immediate family, C., J., and V., whose love and understanding have brought light to all the strange and winding rooms of my life.