Читать книгу The Brothers Bishop - Bart Yates - Страница 7

The first ten people I want to thank are all Gordon Mennenga. Gordon is a superhero; I once saw him go into a phone booth as himself and emerge a few seconds later as The Phenomenal and Brilliant Writer/Teacher/Mentor Man. He deserves a better name than that (Fictionguy? Storydude?)—and maybe a costume with a cool cape or something—but the rest is top-notch. Thank you, Gordon, for so many things, not the least of which is letting me get to know your lovely wife, Lynn.

I couldn’t ask for a more supportive editor than John Scognamiglio, nor could I wish for a more capable agent than John Talbot.

Gratitude and love to my family, especially my brothers, Jeff and Joel—who, thank God, are not even remotely like the brothers in this book.

Ed Leff was at the wrong place at the wrong time and was foolish enough to answer legal questions for FREE. Sucker! (Thanks, Ed. I owe you a fortune in beer. But please bring Lisa along; she’s more fun to talk to…)

Sifu Moy Yat Tung (a.k.a. Dr. Robert Squatrito) is a major source of inspiration in my life, and I wouldn’t know what to do without each of my kung fu brothers and nephews from the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu Academy. The amount of kindness you all heaped on me while I was writing this book was humbling, especially considering how many times I behaved like an idiot during the process. No matter what I tell you to your faces, you guys rock. Special thanks, as ever, to Brad and Liz Schonhorst, John Perona, Peder Bartling, Robert Burns, Mick Benner, Andrew Knapp, Simo (Jennifer Squatrito), Bryan Pierce, Lucas Readinger, and Rob Weingeist.

Paul Robbins gave me a book on archaeology, Jack Manu humored me on the phone, Libby Shannon designed my website, and Rob Shannon is who I want to be when I grow up.

I stole the setting for this story from Mrs. Jeanne Cassidy, but she got even by drinking me under the table—yet again.

And finally, thanks to all of my friends. I wish I could mention each of you, but I’m afraid of leaving someone important out, so please accept this pathetic blanket thanks instead. You never know where friendship will spring up, or how long the driving force behind it might last, but I am grateful beyond words for the people who have shared their lives and their love with me, regardless of how much or how little time we’ve had together.

That being said, though, I do have a question for two especially benighted souls—Marian Clark and Michael Becker—who have somehow stayed close to me for more than twenty years, in spite of everything that usually gets in the way of deep and abiding relationships like ours:

Are you guys retarded or what?