Years after my sister had died, a friend of hers told me this story: One night she and Karen had been talking of life and family and where we all were going. Karen stopped and thought for a moment, and then said, “I’m not so sure about myself, but I do know this—Kelsey’s going to do it all.”
And so, I dedicate this book to Karen Elisa Grammer.
Karen, if I haven’t done it all, I promise I will still keep trying.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010
http://www.archive.org/details/sofargraOOgram
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I’d like to thank everyone I’ve ever met; whether good or bad, you probably had something to do wdth how my life turned out, and consequently v^th this book.
And special thanks to the following: my mother and father and W. H. Auden for obvious reasons; all the teachers who really did make a difference: Mrs. Webb, Ms. Risutto, Ms. Scherer, Mr. Mann, Mrs. Edgar, Mr. Rowett, Richard Mitten, Ron Kri-kac, Diana Spradling, Mario Pena, Leon Bryant, Larry Pedicord, Edith Skinner, Elizabeth Smith, Robert Williams, Judy Leibowitz, Jane Kozminsky, and also Peggy, whose last name kept changing, so simply Peggy.
To Leon Bennett for his tireless efforts on my behalf, and to Donald Miod and Father Ken Deasy for being such wonderful friends.
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In memory of Gary Provost, who convinced me I should v^rite this book but sadly died before its finish; to Jesse Kornbluth, who forced me to write the book I really wanted to; and to Audrey LaFehr, the best of the best in publishing today.
Last but not least, I’d like to say how much I love my daughters, Greer and Spencer. I celebrate your souls. And Tammi, my own, you are a glorious human being, the love of my life, and a wonderful friend.
