A Darkness Forged in Fire
Page 43
Shelly Shapiro, a brilliant publishing maven and writer by profession, and a life coach by choice. I will be eternally grateful that you aren't professionally licensed to give advice or I'd never be able to pay you back.
Karen Traviss, Clarion classmate and trusted companion on this long and winding road, gifted writer, and patron saint for those in harm's way. You are an inspiration.
Chris Schluep, my American brother, fellow editor and writer, co-commiserater and lighthouse forever guiding me back to calmer waters when I set sail into a storm.
Bill Takes, wise beyond his years, who kindly and repeatedly offers me some of the soundest advice I've ever received (even if I don't follow it) and the epitome of class.
At Simon & Schuster's Pocket Books I want to thank my editor, Ed Schlesinger, for his exceptionally keen eye and unflagging energy, which has kept me going, and Deputy Publisher Anthony Ziccardi, comrade in arms from the old days, for taking a chance on something new.
My agent, Don Maass, for representing the very best of me (while sweeping the rest under the carpet).
Special thanks to a true American hero, Col. Robert W. Black and his wife, Carolyn; Edith Dunker; Owen Lock; Steve Saffel; everyone at Stackpole Books for their encouragement along the way; Jeff Young; and the very helpful staff of the New York Society Library.
I'd also like to acknowledge the many historians who have inspired me over the years, first as a student, then historian, editor, and now writer. It would take a whole other book to truly bear witness to what I've learned from their words, and in some cases, advice, so I will simply name them here with my unconditional thanks: George G. Blackburn, Christopher R. Browning, Terry Copp, Bernard Cornwell, Len Deighton, Richard Holmes, John Keegan, Rudyard Kipling, T. E. Lawrence, George MacDonald Fraser, Barbara W. Tuchman, and Gerhard L. Weinberg. If you haven't read their works I highly recommend that you do, but be forewarned: doing so may cause you to embark on a writing adventure of your own.
And finally, my grandfather, Robert James Whitson, who's up there somewhere smiling right now saying, "that's my grandson," and my parents, both for their unwavering love and supporteven after I told them I was tossing my academic careerand for instilling in me that single, unquenchable spark of sheer bloody-mindedness to never give up.