The Boy From Reactor 4 (46 page)

I am indebted to the following people for their assistance with this enterprise. Jaromir Jagr unwittingly inspired the plot. The men, women and children of Chernobyl inspired the writer. Lou Paglia, Neil McMahon, Jeff Palmer, Mary Jane Cronin, and Jim Cronin read early drafts. Elaine Thomas offered exhaustive input, infectious enthusiasm, and moral support. Scott and James Palmer of Palmer Group Media provided invaluable web design and social media exposure. Scott also created brilliant alternate cover art. Charlotte Herscher guided me to a superior final draft and made the experience a pleasure. Daphne Durham and Andy Bartlett turned a writer’s dream into reality. It’s a privilege to work with them and the rest of the Thomas & Mercer team. Erica Spellman-Silverman of Trident Media Group discovered the book and promoted it relentlessly. She is agent, counsel, and
friend. My parents, Eudokia and Bohdan Stelmach, provided an education and instilled in their children a love and appreciation for America that remains the same today.

First and last, of course, I thank Robin for her love and unwavering support.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo by Robin Stelmach, 2011

Orest Stelmach was born in Connecticut, the child of Ukrainian immigrants. He didn’t speak English until he began school as a child, going on to earn academic degrees from Dartmouth College and the University of Chicago. Along the way, he earned his living washing dishes and stocking department-store shelves, later teaching English in Japan and managing international investments. In 2012, his short story “In Persona Christi” was published in the Mystery Writers of America anthology
Vengeance
. He speaks Ukrainian, Spanish, and Japanese.
The Boy from Reactor 4
is his first novel.