Lakhoni (39 page)
Authors: Jared Garrett
Red
hair. Bouncing movement under him, carrying him. Tightness on his shoulder and
sides.
Lakhoni
forced his eyes open. Orange light flickered and danced on cave walls. Ree sat
next to him. Alronna was on his other side. Next to her were Cho and the dog
Gar. The dog was fast asleep. Alronna, Cho, and Ree watched Lakhoni intently.
“What?”
he asked. “How?”
“Sleep.”
Ree turned to stare into the fire. Her face and hair glowed with their own flame.
“Rest up. We have a long way to go if we’re going to catch my father’s
murderer.”
Acknowledgements
This
page is a place where I’m supposed to write about all the people who helped
bring this book from my computer to your hands—and thank them for their hard
work. Whatever! I did this all myself! Heck, I even built the laptop I wrote
this book on. I mined the minerals and processed the petroleum to make the
keyboard and—
Okay,
I’m lying. Hey, that’s what fiction is, right? Socially acceptable lying.
So
here are the people who deserve big thanks from me and you because of their
great capacity for writing and enhancing the creative lies you hold in your
hand. If you see them, you have my permission to chant, “Liar, liar, pants on
fire,” at them.
I
have to start with Randy Tayler. Years ago, when this thing’s first draft
unfolded, I was posting it chapter by chapter on my website. After I had about
fifteen chapters up, Randy (whom I’d never met) reached out to me saying he was
reading it and loving it. That was a great shot in the arm. Thanks, Randy!
I
also have to acknowledge other folks who read early drafts of Lakhoni, most of
whom I’ve forgotten. One was Xela, who called it one of the best books she’d
ever read.
Then
there are the fine folks at Future House Publishing. First, thanks so much to
Helena for taking a chance on a former unwilling cultist who wants to write
stories for a living. And big heaps of praise go to Allie Bowen and Emma Hoggan
who worked so very hard to unearth the best story in my manuscript. Seriously,
thank you two so much. That you would spend so much of your valuable time and
effort on my stuff is humbling. To the rest of you at Future House, you know
who you are, and I just think the best of you. Let’s sell lots of books together,
shall we?
Then
there’s you. The person holding this book: my words that tell a story from my
imagination. It’s a privilege and honor that you would read this stuff. I hope
you love it and buy hundreds of copies of all my books. (No, really, I want you
to do that.)
My
final and most important acknowledgements go to my wife and six kids.
Annemarie, you are my favorite always. Kids, eat your vegetables and kiss your
mother. I love you all more than I can say.
the Author
Jared
Garrett is a family man raising six kids with his best friend and wife of
nearly two decades. He’s been telling lies in story form since he was thirteen.
Since recently relocating from Utah to Seattle, his day-job career has been in
education and corporate training. He prefers writing books.
Jared
had an odd childhood in a nomadic Scientology splinter-cult, which he left at
seventeen. He’s worked as a firefighter, a BBQ restaurant chef and manager, a
bellman, and as a rubber vulcanizing engineer, among many other things. He is
the author of Beyond the Cabin and Beat, and he received an Honorable Mention
in the Writers of the Future contest. His favorite authors are Terry Pratchett,
David McCullough, Robert Ludlum, Stephen King, Katherine Paterson, Douglas
Adams, Patricia McKillip, and lots more. If you ask him where his story ideas
come from, be prepared for a lively conversation about inspiration dust,
running in snow, showers, hauling a towel wherever you go, and dog poop. Not
kidding. Lots and lots of dog poop.
Thanks for reading
Lakhoni
!
I would love to hear what you
thought. Reviews make a big difference in an author’s career. They let me know
what you like so I can write more great books.
And
they help new readers
to discover my work! If you liked this book, please . . .
And make sure to discover more astounding science-fiction,
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Read On!
Adam, Helena,
Ami, Ryan, Mandi, and the rest of
the Future House Publishing
Team
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