Author’s Note
This book has been through more drafts than anything else I’ve ever written. When I began to write it, I was practicing aikido several times a week. My martial arts practice and the people I knew at various dojo inspired some of the aspects of this story, but the cues I took from real life soon got lost in the story-building process. Now, all of those characters and practices stand entirely within the realm of fiction. That said, I want to acknowledge the late Sioux Hall, without whom I never would have gotten as far as I did in aikido, or with this story. Her tireless dedication to her students and the art of aikido was an inspiration. I’d like to dedicate this book to her memory.
I would also like to thank the people who helped me in the very long process of writing this
