The View From Who I Was (22 page)

End Note: Viktor Schauberger

Viktor Schauberger (1885–1958) was an Austrian forest warden, naturalist, philosopher, and inventor. Descended from a long line of foresters from the northern Alps, he was fascinated by creek and river flow and the patterns of nature. An eco-technology pioneer, Schauberger controversially asserted that humanity must study nature and learn from it rather than try to correct it, hoping to liberate people from dependence on centralized power resources that were inefficient or polluting. His theories contradicted established scientific theory, which he felt viewed nature as something to be exploited for the imagined benefit of humanity. He was often ridiculed, even after his theories were proved successful. Thanks to Gill
& Macmillan Publishers for permission to quote from Callum Coats's
Living Energies
, the source of all Oona's journal entries in this novel attributed to Schauberger.

Acknowledgments

Many hands helped shape this book. First, I must thank my princesses: Sue Staats, Loranne Brown, and Nancy Stebbins for always ensuring my words toe the line. Ditto to Rick Attig, especially for calling me on the realities of the male experience. Thanks to all the folks who helped me with details of culture, medicine, language, and law. Each day, I thank my writing family at Pacific University. Thanks to Bri Johnson for her fabulous insight and representation, and Brian Farrey-Latz and Sandy Sullivan at Flux for honing Oona's story into its final shape. Thanks to the Mr. Bonstubers, the Ms. Summers, and the Mr. Handlers of the world who dedicate so much time to teens. Most of all, thanks to Ross and Sydney for their patience and support on this long journey.

About the Author

A Colorado native, Heather Sappenfield lives in Vail and is passionate about three things: her state, especially its mountains; science, physics in particular; and the ways people attain a sense of belonging in this mobile-techno world. She left a perfectly stable job as a high school English teacher to pursue a writing career. After earning an MFA from Pacific University, her fiction started getting published and winning awards. In her spare time, she can be found in Vail's back bowls, teaching people to ski in winter, or on her mountain bike in summer. She has mad love for trees.