There are hundreds of other local legends and ghost stories that can be found in other books, many of which have roots in the Old World. I only give these two as examples of the rich storytelling environment I was born into and molded by, as a way of explaining where my love for fiction originated. In this way I want to acknowledge the State of West Virginia, and Appalachia as a whole, for nurturing my creativity.
If I were to list everyone who has helped me along the way, I would have to add an additional 300 pages to the book. Chief among them is April Stevens, my girlfriend of many years, who has spent countless hours giving feedback and listening to me whine about having to do actual work. My close friend Joe Messmer, who was one of the first people to read the original draft of the Mad Raven’s Tale, and has helped me navigate the waters of this whole process. Kit Dennis, who gave me food and shelter during the most vulnerable point of my life, and told me every day not to give up on my dreams. Cristina Tănase, the brilliant artist who designed the cover of this book, whose enthusiasm for this series is utterly contagious. Todd Gavin, an artist in New York City who, as a complete stranger, gave me his laptop after I told him that my computer was destroyed in a flood, with the caveat that I get published someday (I did it!).
And most importantly, Curtis “CC” McConihay. My best friend and brother, who tragically lost his life a few months before publishing. While Ulam is not based on CC in any way, the love Amantius and Ulam have for one another is definitely influenced by the brotherly love CC and I shared.
I love you, Bub.
About the Author
Andrew Walbrown is a guy who hates writing about himself, because Orcs, Dwarves, Trolls, Gnomes, and everything else is so much cooler. But if you want to know about him, he grew up in West Virginia and started college in his home-state, before finishing his education in Massachusetts. He earned a degree in history, and proceeded to use it to become a bartender, because unfortunately the Gods did not give him the gift of foresight. When he’s not making the best Manhattans and Cosmos that you’ve ever had, he spends time over-salting everything he cooks, watching his favorite sports teams lose, and wishing that he could find a portal to an alternate universe where he could eat ice cream all day without gaining a single pound.
Also his cat is suuuuuper cute.
