Professional Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Programming

Acknowledgments

Nearly a decade has gone by since I finished my first book on SQL Server, and the list of those deserving some credit continues to grow.

As always, I'll start with my kids. They are the ones who most sacrifice time when a new release comes along and I spend so much time writing.

Deb — This was the first time she had to deal with one of my writing cycles, and she couldn't have done anything more to make me feel more supported. Deb has helped me redefine the meaning of the word support. She is my rock.

You — the readers. You continue to write me mail and tell me how I helped you out in some way. That continues to be the number one reason I find the strength to write another book. The continued support of my Professional series titles has been amazing. We struck a chord — I'm glad. Here's to hoping we help make your SQL Server experience a little less frustrating and a lot more successful.

As always, I want to pay special thanks to several people past and present. Some of these are at the old Wrox Press, but they remain so much of who I am as a writer that I need to continue to remember them. Others are new players for me, but have added their own stamp to the mix — sometimes just by showing a little patience:

Kate Hall — Who, although she was probably ready to kill me by the end of each of my first two books, somehow guided me through the edit process to build a better book each time. I have long since fallen out of touch with Kate, but she will always be the most special ...