The Water Museum

Acknowledgments and Credits

My first reader is always my Cinderella. Thank you to Julie Barer, agent extraordinaire. And to Michael Cendejas at the Pleshette Agency, my movie man. And to Trinity and Kevin at The Tuesday Agency — you keep me on the road and before the public.

Some of these works first appeared in Six Kinds of Sky, published by Cinco Puntos Press in El Paso — thanks and love to Bobby and Lee Byrd. “Mr. Mendoza’s Paintbrush” was made into a stunning graphic novel from the same publishers; it was drawn by Christopher Cardinale. A couple of these tales appeared in Orion—thanks, Jennifer Sahn and Chip Blake. And a couple more appeared in the Akashic Noir series. Thanks, Johnny Temple and honorable editors. Somehow, “Amapola” won the Edgar Award. And “Bid Farewell…” was fortunate to have varied incarnations on NPR’s Selected Shorts series.

Thank you to Reagan Arthur and everyone at Little, Brown.

Special thanks to Geoff Shandler. Publication Credits:

“Amapola” appeared in Phoenix Noir;

“Bid Farewell to Her Many Horses” appeared in Blue Mesa Review (thanks to Rudolfo Anaya);

“Chametla” appeared in Tin House (thanks to Rob Spillman);

“Mr. Mendoza’s Paintbrush” appeared in Six Kinds of Sky;

“Mountains Without Number” appeared in Orion;

“The National City Reparation Society” appeared in San Diego Noir;

“The Sous Chefs of Iogüa” appears here for the first time;

“The Southside Raza Image Federation Corps of Discovery” appeared in Orion;

“Taped to the Sky” appeared in Six Kinds of Sky;

“A Visit to the Water Museum” appears here for the first time;

“The White Girl” appeared in Latinos in Lotusland (thanks to Dan Olivas);

“Young Man’s Blues” appeared in the Esquire anthology You and Me and the Devil Makes Three.