Thanks

It’s nice to stop when you’ve reached some milestone — publication, an award, or some other form of recognition — and glance back at the many people who helped push you along or whom, like stepping stones, you burdened with your rude unwholesome weight.

Have I reached such a milestone?

No.

Should that deter me from expressing my gratitude to all the people I love, or should love, or hope to love one day?

I don’t believe so.

Without the following people, I would never have been able to reach this jagged outcropping of rock from which I peer up at the sun. First of all, thank you to the Camp Thunderbird Crew for your consistent support. Chip, Dan, Dusty, and J.T., you guys are my lightning, my thunder, my wings.

To John Dalton, for accepting me into grad school, getting me a free ride, overseeing my thesis defense, and continuing to support me after graduation.

To Joel, for reading everything I’ve ever written with a warm, uncritical eye and telling me, always: “It’s great, man. It’s really great.”

To Bryan, for being a great poet and co-writer, godfather to my daughter, and my most enduring friend.

To the staff at Left Bank Books, for tolerating my moments of exuberance and allowing me to arrange an international literature display (despite the difficulty and lack of sales).

To the Warren Beatty fanatics — Dusty, Ryan, and Tim — for inspiring me and guiding me toward true, passionate storytelling when I was feeling lost, and for always notifying me about new Nicolas Cage movies.

To my wife Andrea, for years of companionship, intellectual and theological guidance, and coffee.

And, finally, to my daughter Percy, for laughing at me, tolerating my nicknames, my babbling insanity and moments of spontaneous song, for your constant bubbling joy, and for your very existence…

Thank you.