acknowledgments
Writing a book is never a solo effort, even if most of it happens alone at a keyboard late at night. This one certainly wasn’t.
First and foremost, to my wife, Fiona—thank you for your endless patience as I spent countless evenings and weekends tapping away at this manuscript. Your support made the long nights possible, and your encouragement kept me going when I wondered if I’d ever finish.
To David Neal, whose incredible artwork brings this book to life—your illustrations don’t just decorate the pages, they capture the spirit of learning and discovery that I wanted the book to embody.
To fellow authors Henry Been, Gerald Versluis, and Jeremy Morgan—thank you for the encouragement, advice, and constant positive reinforcement. You somehow always knew when to push me forward and when to lighten the mood with a joke about the writing process. That balance kept me going through the toughest stretches.
To Doug Rudder, my developmental editor and the main reason this book actually exists—you challenged me, guided me, and most of all, reminded me not to quit. I couldn’t have asked for a steadier hand at the wheel.
To Mike Stephens from Manning, who never looked for someone to blame when I fell behind, but instead always looked for solutions—that kind of support is rare, and I’m deeply grateful.