Titan Song Dan Stout (top 20 books to read txt) 📖

getting me to read, and she had unceasing faith that I’d end up as a writer. I’m still proud every time I can tell her that I’ve sent another story out in the world.

Mandy Fox is a brilliant teacher, master storyteller, and almost unspeakably patient with my nonsense. I can’t thank her enough, and I’m a little stunned at how lucky I am to have her in my life.

My agent Nat Sobel is amazing. Always willing to answer my questions, his comments and feedback are invaluable. My thanks to him and the whole team at Sobel-Weber: Judith Weber, Adia Wright, and Sara Henry.

It’s a real privilege to be part of the DAW family. Sheila Gilbert has helped steer each of The Carter Archives books into safe harbor, and I’m continually stunned by her insight and understanding of narrative. Huge thanks as always to Sheila, Betsy Wollheim, Katie Hoffman, Joshua Starr, Mary Flower, and Leah Spann.

My initial drafts are inflicted on my fellow writers, both in Writeshop: Catherine Vignolini, James Wesley Rogers, Jeannine Jordan, Jerry L. Robinette, and Sandra J. Kachurek, as well as the Pineapple Hedgehogs: Jodi Henry, Paul Nabil Matthis, and Stephanie Lorée. Finally, Donna Beebe (Stephanie’s mother-in-law) provided terrific beta reader feedback. You are brave souls for reading those early versions!

Once again, I’ve been gifted with an amazing cover by Chris McGrath. Katie Andersen and the DAW team’s design makes me happy as a school-kid on a snow day every single time I pick up these books.

Research is one of the great joys of writing. Special thanks to the Columbus Citizen’s Police Academy, where I was able to get hands-on with the messy and complex reality of police work. And huge thanks to Robb Fox: firefighter, first responder, and real-life hero. There’s no substitute for talking to someone who’s lived what I’m trying to capture on the page.

Independent bookstores and libraries are a vital part of the literary community. My main stops are Gathering Volumes in Perrysburg (thank you Denise Phillips!) and The Bookloft in Columbus (thank you Glen Welch!) but there are literally hundreds of amazing stores around the world, each one building community and nurturing readers. Get out there and support your local indie!

In addition to bookstores, I owe a massive debt to the wider community of podcasters, bloggers, and reviewers who’ve shared the word about these books. I really do read all my reviews, and I’m thankful for every one of them.

For most of my life, I dreamed of having a story in the world that could give a little respite for the weary. If that’s you, I hope these books have helped. I also dreamed of writing a book that someone might read and say, Not bad . . . but I can do better. If that’s you, then I hope you write your story and share it, and add your voice to the song. Because we’re all on the same stage, and many voices can harmonize into something extraordinary.

Remember: this book is dedicated to you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dan Stout writes about fever dreams and half-glimpsed shapes in the shadows. His fiction draws on travels throughout Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Rim as well as an employment history spanning everything from subpoena server to assistant well driller. Dan's stories have appeared in publications such as The Saturday Evening Post, Nature, and Intergalactic Medicine Show.

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