Acknowledgements.

Writing is a solitary pursuit.

Publishing, however, is not. This book might have been conceived by me, but it was brought to term and born into the world through the steadfast friendship, love and support of many people. To you I give my thanks.

Thanks to my wife and children who remain excited for me even on those days when I am not; to my agent, Stacia Decker, for accepting me as her client-it's a good thing we both have great taste; to Jeremy Lassen and Ross Lockhart, my publisher and editor at Night Shade Books, respectively, for their guidance and forbearance to a young author if not young man; to Dr. Terrell Tebbetts of Lyon College for instilling in me a wonder and joy at the English language-and for reminding me to murder my darlings; to Joe Howe, for unflinching, reasoned and well-thought advice and pep-talks; to John Rector, whom I hated at first, but who I have now come to hate like a brother; to Erik Smetana, Kevin Wallis, and C. Michael Cook, Steve Weddle, Shanna Wynne, Stephen Blackmoore, Ronald Kelly, Doug Winter, Gary Braunbeck, Kate Horsley, Christopher Ransom and all the folks at the K.A.O.S. board. And of course, Lewis Dowell, my brute of a friend without whom Bull Ingram would never have been born.

Each of you, in your own ways, have guided and encouraged me.

About the Author.

John Hornor Jacobs has worked in advertising for the last fifteen years, played in bands, and pursued art in various forms. He is the cofounder of Needle: A Magazine of Noir. He is also, in his copious spare time, a novelist.

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