Acknowledgements

Since the dedication, acknowledgements and epigraph were left out of the first edition of my book, I feel compelled to include them here for the record:

For my grandmother, Anastasia.

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I would like to thank (in no particular order) W.S. Chapman, Geoffrey Cook, Sally Cooper, Joe Kertes, D.M. Thomas, Lynn Crosbie, Steven Heighton, Pamela Paul, Michel Basilieres, Laura McDonald, Terry Byrnes, Peggy Jane Hope, the editors of the magazines/journals/anthologies that published the stories (especially the McGill Street Magazine folk), the Arsenal Pulp Press staff, and anyone else who in any way inspired, encouraged, supported, advised or put up with me during the writing and production of this collection(Deep in that "cave in the body's heart," you know who you are.).

I would also like to thank the late Canada Council Explorations Program for its support.

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The story ends. It was written for several reasons. Nine of them are secrets. The tenth is that one should never cease considering human love which remains grisly and golden as ever, no matter what is tatooed upon the warm tympanic page."

Donald Barthelme
from "Rebecca"