A novel is a group effort for which one person gets all the credit. Let me try to amend that. I’d like to extend special thanks to my family, and in particular my brother Peter, who taught me that art is a thing worth striving for. Also thanks to my beta readers Tamela Viglione and Joel Beaven, and my agent and dear friend, Joshua Bilmes. Thanks to my editor, Anne Sowards, who believed in this project from the start, and also to John Hemry, Chris Evans, and Ann Aguirre. Thanks to my ad hoc readers Jay Franco, James Kehler, and Kikki Short (who is also my sister-in-law, so I suppose I should thank her for marrying my brother, too). Oh, and Mom, even though she admits to having no clue as to what I’m going on about.
Thanks to Stephanie, Mike, Killian, and the rest of the crew at the Potomac Yard Barnes & Noble, in whose café the vast majority of this book was written. Thanks to House Bloodguard, who taught me that discipline is the better part of valor, and to the Everyday Is Wednesday Hash House Harriers (DC), who kept me in wine, women, and song during the rocky postdeployment adjustment periods.
Special thanks to Chief Warrant Officer Andre Sinou, United States Marine Corps, who didn’t break faith when I went to ground, and to Major General Edwin Spain, United States Army (ret.). You were right, sir. The last quarter second made all the difference in the world. Thanks also to Lieutenant Colonel James Wanovich, United States Army, who stilled the jitters when in-direct fire came danger close. Small round, big base, sir.
Very special thanks to the men and women of United States Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads and the graduating ROCI class of 02–08 (especially Alpha Company, First Platoon). When you have such people to lean on, it’s impossible to fail.
And last, but certainly not least, to Peter V. Brett, my Professor X. How could I have ever done it without you?