At some point, you start writing acknowledgments and taking them for granted. Then, you realize that this is the only section that most of your family will read and understand, and you slow down and get them right.
First, for the technical folks. Mike Loukides and Kyle Hart manage to get me to write these books, and write them fast, without exploding. Thanks guys, but I’m going on vacation now! I had two incredible reviewers on this book, and they really transformed it from OK to great, in my opinion. Thanks to Michael Daudel and Niel Bornstein for persevering under major time constraints and still generating really good comments.
My family is always amazing, and always interested, even though I know they wonder what it is I write about. My parents, Larry and Judy McLaughlin, taught me to read and write and to do them both well. I’m eternally indebted, as are my readers! My aunt, Sarah Jane Burden, is always there to state the obvious in a way that makes me laugh, and my sister has simply grown up as I have written these books. She’s now teaching math, probably producing more programmers and writers. I’m proud of you, Sis!
The other side of my family has been there for me since I met them, especially since we live in the same town. Gary and Shirley Greathouse, my father- and mother-in-law, keep me laughing as well, mostly at the strange things they manage to make their computers do (“So, there’s this black screen with little rectangles—what do I do now?”). Quinn, Joni, Laura, and Lonnie are all fun to be around, and that’s saying a lot. And little Nate, my first-ever nephew, is absolutely the coolest little guy on the planet, at least for a few more months.
My wife, Leigh, has lived with a husband who has written for more hours a day than he spends with her, for nearly three years, and has always loved and supported me. That’s saying a lot, because I’m a royal pain most of the time. I love you, honey. And as for that “few more months” comment, I’ve got a little boy coming in June (2002) who should make life even more exciting. When you read this one day, kiddo, remember that I love you.
Last and most important, to the Lord who got me this far: even so, come, Lord Jesus. I’m ready to go home.
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