AUTHOR’S
NOTE
About
two
years ago, I tried to persuade Patrick Swenson that this collection of mostly realistic (as opposed to fantasy- or SF-oriented) stories deserved to come out under the Kudzu Planet Productions imprint at his own fantasy-and-SF-oriented Fairwood Press. I gave him several reasons why he should accede to this idea, including the fact that the collection would start with a fantasy-tinged Flannery O’Connor hommage and conclude with a Georgia-based story set in the near future of an alternate timeline. I gave each reason an ordinal lead-in: “First,” “Second,” down to “Fifth” and maybe “Sixth.” Patrick quickly emailed me back: “You had me at ‘First.’” Therefore, Patrick, accept these heartfelt thanks.
For this book, as for my recent book for young people, Joel-Brock the Brave and the Valorous Smalls, Brad Strickland provided an additional close textual reading that resulted in the correction of many humbling factual goofs and stylistic infelicities. Brad, you indisputably warrant both credit and gratitude, and you indisputably have mine.
I also owe thanks to friend, colleague, editor, constructive critic, front-line proofreader, and all-around supporter Michael Hutchins, who long ago built a website for my work consisting of a bibliographical catalogue of my novels, story collections, short fiction, nonfiction pieces, poetry, even writings about my work. Without Michael’s Primary and Secondary Bibliography, I would not have easily compiled this volume’s Publications Credits. Also, after I revised “No Picnic” for a reading commissioned by Reinhardt University’s low-residency MFA program, Michael asked to do a final proof of Other Arms . . . and found several more subtle points in need of addressing. Thank you, Eagle-Eye Hutchins.
Let me also earnestly thank the editors who published or gave direction to the stories just listed: Deborah Layne and the late Jay Lake at Polyphony; Hugh Ruppersburg for “The Road Leads Back” in After O’Connor and T. R. Hummer and Stephen Corey at The Georgia Review for having earlier made suggestions to improve the story; the late Eleanor Sullivan at Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine; the late Lamar York at The Chattahoochee Review for “Crazy about Each Other,” his successor Lawrence Hetrick for “The Russian Agent,” and Hetrick’s successor Marc Fitten for “Free,” and managing editor Jo Ann Yeager Adkins, who provided direction during all three of these men’s editorships; Dean Wesley Smith at Pulphouse; the late Stanley W. Lindberg at The Georgia Review; Robert K. J. Killheffer at Century; Daniel Caplice Lynch at New York Stories; Michele Colonna at Driftwood; Peter Crowther and Nick Gevers at Postscripts; and the always supportive Sheila Williams at Asimov’s Science Fiction. Each reprinted story appears in a purposely different form than it did in its earlier place, or places, of publication.
Finally, these stories were written over many years, the earliest publication occurring in November 1982 (“Unlikely Friends”) and the latest in February 2015 (“Rattlesnakes and Men”). Over all this time, as well as many years before and after these dates, the chief constant in my life, affording me food, drink, money, nerve, counsel, solace, and unconditional love, has been my wife, Jeri, without whom I would never have written these stories, for I might never have spent most of my adult life here in Georgia.
Jeri, this book is for you, as is the following dedication, which assertion may seem a contradiction. However, we both know it’s anything but.
Pine Mountain, Georgia
July 23, 2016