hanks to the four people who helped make it happen:

Stacy Creamer—my editor. If you don’t enjoy the book, blame her . . . she edited out all the really funny stuff.

Charles Salzberg—writer and teacher. He pushed me hard to keep this project going, so if you don’t enjoy it, blame him, too.

Deborah Schneider—agent extraordinaire. She keeps assuring me she loves at least fifteen percent of everything I do, say, or, especially, write.

Richard David Story—my former boss. Easy to love him now that I no longer have to see him before nine A.M. each day.

And of course a huge thanks to all those who offered no assistance whatsoever but who promised to buy multiple copies for a name mention:

Dave Baiada, Dan Barasch, Heather Bergida, Lynn Bernstein, Dan Braun, Beth Buschman-Kelly, Helen Coster, Audrey Diamond, Lydia Fakundiny, Wendy Finerman, Chris Fonzone, Kelly Gillespie, Simone Girner, Cathy Gleason, Jon Goldstein, Eliza Harris, Peter Hedges, Julie Hootkin, Bernie Kelberg, Alli Kirshner, John Knecht, Anna Weber Kneitel, Jaime Lewisohn, Bill McCarthy, Dana McMakin, Ricki Miller, Daryl Nierenberg, Wittney Rachlin, Drew Reed, Edgar Rosenberg, Brian Seitchik, Jonathan Seitchik, Marni Senofonte, Shalom Shoer, Josh Ufberg, Kyle White, and Richard Willis.

And especially to Leah Jacobs, Jon Roth, Joan and Abe Lichtenstein, and Weisbergers:

Shirley and Ed, Judy, David and Pam, Mike and Michele.