Belly of the Beast (29 page)

I am thankful for my incredible support network. I couldn’t write without it. First, I would like to thank Anne Markward, my partner, best friend, critic, guru, and editor. I couldn’t ask for better.

On the other side of the globe, I want to thank Dr. Alexei Sysolyatin.  On four trips to Russia, Alexei was my interpreter, confidante, and friend. Subsequently he was my cultural and political editor.

Another of my resources was the
Write Stuff
, a Durango writers
=
group. For riotous hours and sobering moments, thanks (alphabetically) to Blake Crouch, Terry
Juttonen
, Dr. Dinah Swan, Shannon Richardson,
Haz
Said, and Suzanne Tyrpak
.

While living overseas, the
New Zealand Society of Authors
was inspiring and supportive. Special thanks to Norman
Bilbrough
.

And thanks to my wonderful friends/readers for their encouragement, suggestions, and faith. The list fondly includes many, but Ann
Casler
, Blake Crouch, and Dr. Sysolyatin deserve distinct recognition for critiquing draft after draft.

Finally, thanks to Michael James who saw something in my embryonic poetry and encouraged me to compose and share my writing.

Douglas Walker zigzagged through life as inventor, adventurer, and poet – not always gracefully. Thirteen years ago he discovered his passion for writing.

In 1998 Doug embarked on an engineering adventure to design and build low cost housing for Russian friends. To succeed, he had to negotiate with corrupt Russian officials, down vodka with thick-necked
financial advisors
(the Russian Mafia), and live in dilapidated cold-water flats. For a brief moment, he knew what it was to be Russian.

He did not create the characters in
Belly of the Beast,
they created him in order to tell their story.

Doug and his wife Anne recently returned to Durango, Colorado after living three years in New Zealand. While down under, he also wrote a second Russian novel and a series of children’s books that will be released in 2011.

For more information, please go to:

www.dwwbooks.com