Hearts of Smoke and Steam (38 page)

A
first book is written in a kind of vacuum. It's you, a few close friends, and a lot of hopes and dreams.

Second books, it seems, take a whole lot more people…Here's some of the people who helped make it happen.

Thank you to:

Ken Vollmer for reading the damn thing, giving me great feedback, and being my biggest fan!

Kristene Markert, who paid a price and helped anyway.

Joe Cangelosi for giving Emilio and Viola something to say in Italian.

Lou Anders for believing in this whole crazy thing and giving it room to breathe.

Justin Gerard for creating covers that I am not worthy of.

Jay Lake for going above and beyond the call of duty for someone he barely knows. Thank you twice!

Cherie Priest, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Gail Carriger for all being absolutely lovely in every way, and treating me like an equal before I really deserve it.

Ken Levine for years of good advice and showing me that honesty and hard work are the best way. (Perhaps now that your name is in here, you'll read the damn thing.)

Douglas Rushkoff for knowing it was what I should have done all those years ago.

Andrew Fuller, who listened to everything I had to say, and helped me find a place to stumble into when it all went pear-shaped.

Adrianne Ambrose, for being my favorite writing pen pal, and always there with a good word.

Gabrielle Harbowy for catching one million mistakes, and making them elegantly disappear.

Joan Bowlen, for showing up at just the right time.

Peter Overstreet, for making me realize that steampunk time was here, and then telling me what year to set it in.

And to everyone else who put me up, and put up with me while I wrote this thing:

Bruce Scanlon & Kathy Guidi

Kristina Nelson

Peter Zimmerman

Laurenn McCubbin

Nicholas Stohlman

Jay Goodman

Mary Ray & Mike Zyraki

A
NDREW P. MAYER
was born on the tiny island of Manhattan, and is still fascinated by its strange customs and simple ways.

When he's not writing new stories, he works as a video game designer and digital entertainment consultant. Over the years he's been at work in the virtual mines, he has created numerous concepts, characters, and worlds, including the original Dogz and Catz digital pets.

These days he resides in Oakland, California, although he's been travelling a lot
lately.
He currently spends way too much time on the computer, and not enough time playing his ukulele.

You can find his musings on writing and media at
www.andrewpmayer.com
.