Ragamuffin

Acknowledgments

I have an inordinate number of thanks to people who cheerled and critiqued me through the whole process of that often stubborn beast known as the sophomore novel. So, big thanks to the following:

Nancy Proctor and Ben Rosenbaum at Blue Heaven 2004 for heavily critiquing an early start to this novel, as well as to the rest of the 2004 crew: Chris Barzak, Lisa Deguchi, Roger Eichorn, Charlie Coleman Finlay, Karin Lowachee, Paul Melko, Catherine M. Morrison, Amber Van Dyk, and Lori Ann White.

The 2006 Blue Heaven workshop: Charlie Finlay, Paul Melko, Tim Pratt, Greg van Eekhout, Bill Shunn, Catherine M. Morrison, Sarah Prineas, and Brenda Cooper for their insight, with special shout outs to Sandra McDonald and Mary Turzillo for the in-depth reads.

Lovely high altitude thanks to the folks at Rio Hondo for looking at a segment of the novel while in progress as well: Howard Waldrop, Carrie Vaughn, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Kelly Link, Michael Bateman, Walter Jon Williams, Maureen McHugh, Daniel Abraham, Mary Turzillo, Gavin Grant, Jerry Oltion, and Geoffrey Landis.

Wow, I’m truly honored to have such amazing friends and acquaintances who put up with me.

More thanks to:

My agent, Joshua Bilmes, for all his work selling rights and talking me off the ledge during various stressful points throughout writing this book. To my editor, Paul Stevens, whose patience, friendship, and edits always guide me out of the desert. Irene Gallo and Tor’s excellent art department for making such an awesome package for these books. My copyeditor of two books now, Steve Boldt, who rocks, and the rest of the Tor book production team.

Super big thanks to my wife, Emily, for putting up with many all-nighters, and who has learned that finding me out on the couch upside down with a pillow over my head means I’m working out a difficult issue with the novel and not trying to smother myself out of frustration (they can look similar).

And lastly, thank you. Thank you for continuing to support me and my writing by reading my books. Thank you everyone who visits the blog at TobiasBuckell.com, and thanks to all of you who write letters and e-mails. Without you none of this is possible.