The Fallen
It's the beginning of the July Fourth weekend. That means fireworks, BBQs, and patriotic memorials to the fallen. I've given my own tribute to the fallen, specifically to people who meant a lot to me, in the dedication page of three of my novels. I dedicated my second book, X-Rated Bloodsuckers , to Jad Duwaik, who I had met through a mutual friend. I sensed that Jad had gone through a lot but didn't ask. He lived in the basement of my friend's mom's house, and he didn't have a job or money. No car. But he was smart and social and a lot of fun to hang with. At the time, I wasn't yet published, and he and I would talk a bit about writing. Then, in a flurry, he decided to go to China and teach English for a six month assignment that lasted more than three years. In January 2006, I received word that he had died of a brain aneurysm in Shenyang, China. He was 35. It was in the preparation of his eulogy that I learned much about Jad, and how much we had in common...