Colossal gratitude and affection and respect to:

My wife, Rita Simmons, who helped me through the long quiet period, who gives me strength and knowledge, who still makes all this so much fun.

My sister, Susan Summerlee, for her love and support through all the tough stuff.

All my Detroit friends who read and helped and encouraged and listened to a lot of whining: Tim Teegarden, Keith McLenon, Jim Dudley, Brother Andrew Brown, Nick Marine (pompous chuckle), Donna McGuire, Buck(eye) Eric Weltner, Holly Sorscher, Jim Potter, Russ Taylor, Jeff Edwards, Dave Michalak, and Luis Resto.

Lynn Peril and Roz Lessing for helping to keep me sane. Dave Spala in T.C. for encouragement and never listening to me. Cindy, Bill, and Laura at C-E for good mom talk. DeAnn Ervin for always wanting to help. Tony Park for writerly foreign intrigue. John Roe for great photos despite the obvious liability. Randy Samuels for the straight dope. Michael Lloyd, Barry Burdiak, and Mark Mueller for always caring for the materfamilias.

My truly wonderful and talented agent, Sally van Haitsma, and the memory of her father, Ken van Haitsma. My editor, Jennifer Pooley, whose unflagging enthusiasm, endless devotion to this book, and exclamation points were a much-needed salve to this writer’s spirit. My friend and teacher, Christopher Leland, a man who never stops helping his students.

Most of all, to the memory of my mother and father, Rose Mary and Norman Zadoorian. Their lives continue to be an inspiration to me.

Finally, to Route 66, the people and locales, real and imagined.

The road goes on forever.