Acknowledgements:
Back in 2014, at the Superstars Writing Seminar in Colorado Springs, Colorado, I met Eric Flint for the first time. During that seminar, he gave a class in understanding literary contracts that saved my ass on a couple of occasions, but beyond that, I had a dinner with him which changed my life. One of the events at Superstars is an optional dinner where you can sit with the headline guests of the event. I’d chosen Eric because I wanted to learn more about him and his journey, but I also had a burning question in my writer’s mind.
“What if the coin George Washington reputedly threw across the Delaware River preceding the Battle of Trenton was a bicentennial quarter?”
Being primarily a science fiction / military science fiction author, I’d never written anything alternate history before and I had no idea if this was even a viable idea. To my utter astonishment, Eric invited to lunch the following day and we began the plan for this novel. But, as the poet said the best laid plans often get screwy, and that’s exactly what happened.
The week after meeting Eric, I went into the critical unit of my local hospital with a skin-eating bacterial infection that tried (and thankfully failed) to eat my right leg. The next year, Eric survived a scary bout with cancer. In 2017, though, we began work to bring The Crossing to life. The path of bringing this book to print faced many challenges over the last few years, but here we are. I’m forever grateful to Eric and his support, mentorship, and friendship.
My thanks also go to the Baen Books team. Toni Weisskopf, Jim Minz, David (DJ) Butler, and the entire team behind the scenes for getting this book together and shepherding it to press. I’d like to say a special thanks to both Chuck Gannon and Alistair Kimble for helping me anticipate challenges along the way.
Finally, and as always, to my family. Being a novelist was never on the menu. I’d wanted to be a good husband, a great father, and everything else above that would be gravy. When the writing bug bit, though, you’ve been a constant support system and I am grateful for everything you’ve given me on this journey. To my girls, and especially my bride, thank you.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
2022