No Return (47 page)

Thank you, Ashly Jernigan, for taking chances. You may not know this, but when you moved to New York by yourself it inspired me to start taking some of my own chances.

Thank you, Brennan Jernigan.
No Return
is, at least in part, a story about a man learning to do the right thing. You, more than anyone else, are responsible for this emphasis on morality.

Thank you, Elizabeth Hand. I wish you could be my first reader every time.

Thank you, David Anthony Durham. I appreciate your advice, your advocacy, and especially your friendship. There are scenes in this book I didn’t want to write, but I wrote them because you put the worm of doubt in my mind. The work is better for it, I think.

Thank you, James Patrick Kelly, for pushing me when I needed some pushing. I revise things now, which should make you happy.

Thank you, J. M. McDermott. Not only did you recommend this novel to Night Shade, you’ve continued to be one of my most vocal advocates.

Thank you, Benjamin Turner, Keith Potempa, Allister Timms, Adam Mills, and Scott Wolven. I’m indebted to you all for reading large portions of
No Return
and offering comments.

Thank you, Whiskey Swim Club: Paul Kirsch, C. Liddle (Caspian Gray), Asher Ellis, and Ben Burgis. I don’t really like any of you under normal circumstances—and I certainly don’t respect you—but there’s nobody in the world I like being drunk in a pool with more.

Thank you, Justin Tribble, Brett Wilson, Angela Still, Will Ludwigsen, Tarver Nova, Catherynne Valente, Ian Withrow, Michael Kimball, Jenn Brissett, Taylor Preston, Nancy Holder, Robert Stutts, Evan Dicken, Dina Milum, Ashley Bernard, Marty Halpern, Richard Cambridge, Desiree Ducharme, Angi Zollinger Christiansen, assorted cousins and aunts and uncles, and the cast and crew of the Stonecoast MFA program. Your counsel and encouragement have been invaluable.

Thank you, Ross E. Lockhart, for reading my manuscript, convincing everyone at Night Shade that it should be bought, and helping me turn it into a better book.

Thank you, Jason Williams, Jeremy Lassen, Amy Popovich, Dave Palumbo, Tomra Palmer, Liz Upson, and all the other folks at Night Shade Books.

Thank you, Robbie Trevino. I hope the story I wrote is pretty good, but even if it isn’t you created something awesome out of it.

Lastly and most importantly:

Thank you, reader, from the bottom of my heart. I’m delighted and humbled that you’ve bought, borrowed, or stolen this book. Know that I wrote it as a means of communication between the two of us. I hope you’ll reach out and begin a conversation by email or—even better—in person at a convention.