Skin Game

Acknowledgments

Once again, my frequent collaborator Matthew V. Clemens — with whom I’ve written numerous published short stories — helped me here immeasurably. A knowledgeable Dark Angel fan, Matt coplotted this tale and created a detailed story treatment from which I could develop Skin Game.

My editor Steve Saffel again provided consistently strong support, which included not just rounding up materials, but adding his own creative input.

Both Matt and Steve pitched in to solve numerous problems created when the original concept of this novel — intended to take place early within the second season, as a continuity implant — needed reshaping into a sequel to the final episode of the series.

I would like to thank the creators of Dark Angel, James Cameron and Charles Eglee, who provided the story for that episode — “Freak Nation,” teleplay by Ira Steven Behn and Rene Echevarria, who also deserve thanks and recognition. Also particularly helpful was Moira Kirland Dekker, the writer of “Designate This,” an episode we draw heavily upon here, as well. Thanks too to Debbie Olshan of 20th Century Fox; Wendy Cheseborough of Lightstorm, and, at Ballantine Books, Gillian Berman, Crystal Velasquez, and Colleen Lindsay.

Matt, Steve, and I hope that Dark Angel fans will appreciate this continuation of an innovative series that ended too soon.