Hooked (24 page)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I
t takes a village to create a work of fiction. In that spirit, I humbly thank:

My parents. Dad, for teaching me about big ideas and awe. Mom, for teaching me to look and listen for the tiny moments and emotions that matter most. I love you both.

My selfless bride, Meredith Jewel (last name to be determined), for patience, stability, persevering affection, creativity, personal and editorial insight, and the ability to ignore bouts of weirdness and see the greater good.

Barney, Bob, Brad, Cheryl, Josh, and Trish (alphabetically ordered), for the early encouragement, crucial feedback, and plot and character ideas otherwise unseen.

Sara-Jane, for grammatical genius (this is wrong somehow, isn’t it?).

Alex, Ana and Zach, Annie Richtel, the Concerned Fellows League, Dr. Ratey, Erik, Gary, the Grove, Jake, Jay, Kara, Karen, Kevin, Leah (and your mom), Noel, Rick, Skol, Stacey, Susan, the Syers, Tic, and the cadre of Stanford MDs, for reading, encouraging, providing joy, beer drinking, and liar’s dice (I own you).

Hot chocolates and guacamole, for essential snacking.

Laurie Liss of Sterling Lord Literistic, amazing agent, fighter, a book’s midwife.

Jonathan Karp, (exacting and brilliant) editor and publisher. You’ve got the sixth sense. And to the Twelve’s Nate Gray, Cary Goldstein, and Mari Okuda.

In memory of Alyse Neundorf, who graced the world with a fierce and compassionate love.

Thanks to you all and those unintentionally forgotten but deeply appreciated, for what has been an unequivocally collaborative effort, and to all the writers who have inspired me. And, again, to guacamole.

Matt Richtel

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M
ATT
R
ICHTEL
is a reporter for the
New York Times.
Since 2000, he has worked in the paper’s San Francisco bureau, covering technology and telecommunications.

Under the pen name Theron Heir, he writes the syndicated daily comic strip
Rudy Park
, which is published in newspapers around the country and was dubbed by
Newsweek
as one of the contenders for new signature strip of the decade.

Matt grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and lives in San Francisco. He can be reached at
[email protected]
or through his Web site,
www.mattrichtel.com
.

About TWELVE

TWELVE was established in August 2005 with the objective of publishing no more than one book per month. We strive to publish the singular book, by authors who have a unique perspective and compelling authority. Works that explain our culture; that illuminate, inspire, provoke, and entertain. We seek to establish communities of conversation surrounding our books. Talented authors deserve attention not only from publishers, but from readers as well. To sell the book is only the beginning of our mission. To build avid audiences of readers who are enriched by these works—that is our ultimate purpose.

For more information about forthcoming TWELVE books, please go to
www.twelvebooks.com
.