The Silver Ship and the Sea (38 page)

This is my first solo novel. It seems appropriate to thank the people who taught me what I needed to know to write it. Steven Barnes taught me how to set goals and become a writer. Larry Niven took a chance and collaborated with me on our joint novel,
Building Harlequin’s Moon,
and on many short stories. Joseph Green inspired my early career in his classes at Lower Columbia College and while racing J boats on the Columbia River. Caroline Wood taught me to live with my characters. Glen Hiemstra spent years helping me learn to think like a futurist, which is a wonderful skill for any science fiction writer. Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith taught numerous useful workshops about both the business and craft of writing.

I am grateful to the Fairwood Writers, who suffered through the first draft and helped it become a much better story. They are Renee Stern, John Pitts, Darragh Metzger, Erin Tidwell, David Silas, and others who came and went throughout the process.

I owe immeasurable thanks to my partner, Toni Cramer, and to Toni’s daughter, Katie. They have almost always been patient with my regular disappearances from family life to hide and write.

My father, David Cooper, read the entire final first draft and made excellent comments. My son, also David Cooper, always helps with the bits about fires.

I am very grateful to Bob Gleason, Eric Raab, and Tom Doherty of Tor Books for taking a chance on this book, and to Eleanor Wood, my very capable agent.