William Shakespeare's Star Wars

by Ian Doescher

  This has been a labor of love, and I’ve enjoyed every syllable.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

  The process of writing this, my first book, has been a thrilling journey into the publishing world, and I am grateful to all those who made the way clear. Thank you to Jason Rekulak, my editor at Quirk Books, for believing in this book and for encouraging me to write it in the first place. Thank you to Adriann Ranta, my agent, for guiding me through the maze of contracts and answering the thousand questions of a first-time author. Thanks to both Jennifer Heddle and Carol Roeder at Lucasfilm for making the editorial process a smooth one, to Nicolas Delort for his amazing illustrations, and to the rest of the Quirk and Lucasfilm staff for their wonderful contributions.

  Great thanks to my literal and metaphorical brothers Erik Doescher, Josh Hicks, and Ethan Youngerman for being early readers of the manuscript and constant cheerleaders along the way. Thank you to my parents, Beth and Bob Doescher, for their unconditional love and for making Star Wars a part of my reality since before I can remember.

  Profound thanks to Murray Biggs, my college English professor and good friend. Murray performed a Herculean task for this book, poring over the manuscript and making minor corrections to improve my Shakespearean pastiche (and teaching me the word pastiche). Thank you to Jane Bidwell, my high school English teacher, for instilling in me a love of Shakespeare and an understanding of iambic pentameter.

  Additional thanks to others who offered help and support: Heidi Altman, Jeff and Caryl Creswell, Mark Fordice, Holly Havens, Jim and Nancy Hicks, Apricot Irving, Steve Maddoux, Chris Martin, Matt Matros, Joan and Grady Miller, Michael Morrill, Dave Nieuwstraten, Naomi Walcott, and Doug Zabroski.

  Finally, thank you to my spouse, Jennifer Creswell, and our children Liam and Graham. Though not a lover of Shakespeare—and possessing a general antipathy toward Star Wars—Jennifer has shown support, love, and encouragement throughout the development of this book. Liam and Graham have been excited about “daddy’s book” from the start and (he notes with pride) have become big Star Wars fans in the process.

  quirkbooks.com/shakespearestarwars