“I don’t know. I’ll figure that out soon, but first I want to buy some apples, take something for the pain, and then pray. I want to pray to mi Santa Muerte for an entire day. Then I might take my neighbor out for some tacos or something. I don’t know.”
The Russian didn’t say anything. He looked at the road ahead of us with eyes that were entirely white.
Acknowledgemets
I want to thank J David Osborne for believing in my weird words. Working with you is an honor and a pleasure. Much love, hermano. You and Rios son familia.
I want to thank Ady and Gabi, por lo de siempre, por todo.
Rios de la Luz and Steve Lowe looked at chunks of this novel early on and made it better. You two are awesome people, friends, and writers. If anything here is good, it is because of them.
Matthew Revert, where would I be without you? Thanks for everything.
For their friendship, words, and inspiration, big hugs and thanks to Jeremy Robert Johnson, Brian Allen Carr, Bill Minutaglio, Jerry Stahl, and Cody Goodfellow, the fucking madman genius you can blame for that mysterious bucket. Un abrazo enorme para Isaac Kirkman, a visionary man of words who became a part of this in many ways. One of them is the unblinking visionero in this book. Keep the light flowing, street poet.
There’s a group of fantastic people who have become a community for me. They keep me inspired and humble, so thanks to Cameron Pierce, Adam Cesare, Michael Kazepis (this book’s title? His doing), Michael J. Seidlinger, D. Foy, Constance Ann Fitzgerald, Ryan W. Bradley, Eddy Rathke, Tiffany Scandal, David James Keaton, Carlton Mellick III (I wouldn’t be here without you, man), Sean and Jessica Leonard, Noah Cicero, John Skipp, Laura Lee Bahr (squee!), Grant Wamack, Michael Allen Rose, Sauda Namir, Shane Cartledge, Ryan Harding, Joseph Bouthiette Jr., Josh Myers, Jeff Burk, Brian Keene, David Bowles, William Pauley III, Jamie Iredell, Kelby Losack, Dyer Wilk, Brian Allan Ellis, Jim Ruland, and David W. Barbee.
Thanks to the folks who always support what I do in ways that are as undeserved as they are unexpected: Steve “Boo” Pattee, Daniel LaPonsie, Micheal Sean LeSueur, Benoit Lelievre, Vincenzo Bilof, Scott Cole, Tim Marquitz, Adrian Shotbolt, Christoph Paul, Reagan Butcher, and Jackson Ellis, who has made Verbicide feel like home.
Since this is my first “crime” novel, a shout out to Jedidiah Ayres, Nik Korpon, Joe Clifford, Tom Pitts, Anthony Neil Smith, Keith Rawson, Craig T. McNeely, Court Merrigan, Rob Hart, and Paul J. Garth.
Gracias a los amigos de siempre: Trobi, Manu, Gambi, Perla, Willie. Se les quiere, cabrones.
A todos los barrios del mundo y su gente buena. A Mexico, Puerto Rico, Austin, and those who, like me, came to this country to follow a dream. Hope y’all find what you’re looking for. And gracias a la Santa Muerte.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Gabino Iglesias lives in Austin, TX. This is his second novel.
Table of Contents
ZERO SAINTS
Zero Saints Page 11