AUTHOR’S NOTE

CHEATERS INC. & DUMB LUCK LTD. Author's Note

A final word on working with Vincent on this book and our other collaborations. Despite our quarter of a century difference in age, me seventy-seven and him fifty-three, and the very different roads we travelled to reach this place in life and work, I have been surprised, unnecessarily so if I had been a bit smarter, at how similar our life stories, especially our lifelong commitment to becoming the best writers we could be, overlap with attitude, spirit (a word he’ll HATE), and ambitions. A careful reader will notice this. Our stories left out and not shared here often match as strongly as the parts we have put in. Our collaboration is a chance for me to move towards the final chapters of my story with the help and friendship and good fortune of a fellow traveler in this tricky writing world. I appreciate Vincent, and I am thankful for being able to work with him.