Neurotopia
Page 37
Samantha Sainsbury, my wonderful editor, for finding gaping plot holes and inconsistencies, and for massaging a screenwriter’s voice into an author’s. https://twitter.com/samsains?lang=en
Pat Naoum of Red Tally Studios, for an awesome cover and putting up with my amendments. www.redtally.com.au
My profreader, Thomasin Litchfield, 4 cleaning it alll up (I must confes, I fidled wit the manuscrip a little after you’re prooofread, so I I take full responsability for any 3rrors that made it into the final virgin).
The story-structure Father, Shaun Coyne of www.storygrid.com; the Son, Tim Grahl of https://booklaunch.com/ ; and the inspiring Holy Ghost, Steven Pressfield www.stevenpressfield.com. We have never met, but your words have made Neurotopia a thousand times better.
David Cadby, the best unqualified editor out there. Your insights were invaluable—I owe you.
Paul Georgiades, for listening to my whingeing and excuses.
The talented writers of our UCLA writers group, especially Doug Tucker (writing partner and creative shallow-water lifesaving expert), Christine Roney (author and marketing sage http://roneywrites.com/), and Ivan Alonso Solas (Sergeant Structure), for nursing the young drafts of the Neurotopia screenplay.
My beta readers, Crystal Watanabe of http://www.pikkoshouse.com/ and Michael Waitz of https://sticksandstonesediting.net/, for helping me get a grip on the big picture issues.
The members of our local Sci-fi bookclub, for daring to read an unedited manuscript and for providing valuable feedback: Paul Henry, Alice Cannon, Martin Conboy, Philip Thiel, Bob Wright, Dan Le Vaillant, James Sofra, and other members who have given me an insight into the Sci-fi reader’s experience.
Rob Delmore, author, for feedback and writer sympathy.
Dean Robb, for troubleshooting random plot and character issues.
Rebecca Saxe, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (MIT), for permission to use the beautiful MRI of herself and two-month-old son Percy (credit also goes to Atsushi Takahashi).
RR Phantom of http://ancaps.super-forum.net for answering my queries.
Life Coach Ken D Foster, who gave me the courage to commit to my passion. www.kendfoster.com
Maribyrnong Library Service (Footscray) and Victoria University (Footscray Park Campus), for providing much needed quiet working spaces.
The writing and creative mentors of my youth, especially: Ms. Melderis (Grade 5 teacher who accepted me as a pet), Vince Perri (Kealba High, English and Drama), and Peter Bromley (Kealba, English).
And so many others who have shaped my life, for whom I will likely never express my gratitude because I hardly ever see you and it would be creepy.
Notable Author Influences
William Gibson’s Neuromancer
Richard Morgan’s Altered Carbon
Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash
Robert A. Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Ian McDonald’s Luna: New Moon
Any Weir’s Artemis
Grey Spry’s Beyond Cloud Nine for the idea to use < angle brackets > to indicate AI speech for Uncle Jesse, and—I realize, as I flick through Beyond Cloud Nine again—the liberal use of “ma’am” by the AI.