First up, I’d express everlasting gratitude to John Schoenfelder. After having read my first novel, John approached me to see if I had anything else up my sleeve. I told him about Pariah and he invited me to submit it. He loved it, and though it didn’t work out with him, rather than let it die, he did a truly rare and generous thing and passed it along to the next person I want to thank: my great editor, Eric Raab. Eric shared John’s passion for Pariah and made it happen at Tor. Which brings me to Tom Doherty, without whom there’d be no Tor, nor this deal. Thanks, also, to Whitney Ross, Eric’s able assistant. I’d also like to express gratitude to Irene Gallo and Jamie Stafford-Hill for making Pariah look so terrific. Thanks to Bob Mecoy, for brokering this deal. To Kirsten Wolf, for providing another pair of sharp eyes. To Helene and Saul, my magnificent parents, for (among many other things) fostering in me a love for the written word. I’d be remiss if I neglected to extend my thanks and undying admiration to George A. Romero, for minting the modern zombie; even when we add our own new wrinkles, we’re all just playing with Mr. Romero’s toys. And, once again, thanks, love, and all good stuff to my astonishingly wonderful, loving, supportive, beautiful wife, Michele. I think that was longer than my allotted forty-five seconds.