Brainrush 03 - Beyond Judgment (53 page)

Jake’s lips curved up in a crooked smile.

The double wedding marked the happiest day of his life.

I hope you enjoyed reading
Beyond Judgment
as much as I did writing it. If so, it would be great if you left a comment on the Amazon Customer Reviews page. I’d love to hear from you!

Richard Bard

O
F ALL THE
occupational challenges I’ve tackled in my life, from delivering newspapers to piloting aircraft to running companies, nothing has given me more satisfaction than becoming a novelist. Breathing life into Jake’s stories is an immensely satisfying endeavor—so much so that I often find myself rereading scenes from the books for the pure thrill of the ride. I suspect that may sound silly to you. After all, it’s not as though I don’t know what’s going to happen from chapter to chapter. But it’s the truth. I’m Jake’s biggest fan. For me a good story is like a good song. It evokes emotions that a listener—or reader—deserves to experience more than once. I’m the same way with movies. I have an extensive collection of films that have touched me in one way or another. I love dimming the lights and settling into my home theater with a bag of popcorn and one of my favorite movies. Wouldn’t it be something if Brainrush was part of that collection some day? Fingers crossed…

But as much as I enjoy writing for the pure sake of imperiling Jake and his friends in order to test their mettle, the true icing on the cake for me as an author—the fuel that ignites my consuming passion for the craft—has been the thousands of positive reviews and e-mails I’ve received from Brainrush fans all over the world. To each and every one of you, please accept my
heartfelt thanks. I’m humbled and inspired by your messages of support and enthusiasm. Please keep ’em coming!

I’d also like to thank all of the wonderful people on the Thomas & Mercer team: to the folks on the Author Relations and Marketing teams, especially Jacque and Danielle, to my developmental editor, Elyse Dinh-McCrillis, and the rest of the editing team, who helped keep Jake’s story tight, accurate, and fast-paced. And especially to Senior Editor Alan Turkus, whose excitement for the Brainrush series brought me into the fold. I couldn’t ask for a better advisor and cheerleader.

To my rock-star literary and film agents, Scott Miller of Trident Media Group and Jon Cassir of Creative Artists Agency, it’s an honor to be working with both of you.

To my friends and family, your encouragement and understanding make it all possible.

And finally to my wonderful wife, Milan, who stands beside me through it all. Your unconditional love and support mean the world to me.

Photograph ©
NewFacePhoto.com

Richard Bard was born in Munich, Germany, to American parents, and joined the United States Air Force like his father. But when he was diagnosed with cancer and learned he had only months to live, he left the service. He earned a management degree from the University of Notre Dame and ultimately ran three successful companies involving advanced security products used by US embassies and governments worldwide. Now a full-time writer, he lives in Redondo Beach, California, with his wife, and remains in excellent health.