Stephan Clark - Sweetness #9

Thanks to:

Ed Salmina, my first writing teacher; the University of Southern California, for providing me a home; Pam Houston, for creating such a wonderful community for writers at UC Davis; the U.S. Fulbright Program, for a life-altering journey to Ukraine; Dave Chariton; Sabrina Tom, Rose Gowen, Josh Bernstein, and Cody Todd, for your feedback and encouragement; Ken Kalfus, Karl Iagnemma, and Ben Fountain, for taking the time to read a book of stories from an unknown writer; Robert Hedin and the Residency Program at the Anderson Center, where I did in a month what I’d been unable to do in ten years; T. C. Boyle, for your many gifts and years of guidance; Augsburg College; Fiona McCrae; Mitchell Waters, agent extraordinaire, Steven Salpeter, and Holly Frederick at Curtis Brown; Nicole Dewey and everyone at Little, Brown, in particular Victoria Matsui, who did what I’d been led to believe editors no longer do — in short, everything; and my parents, for a lifetime of belief, support, and understanding.

Stephan Eirik Clark was born in West Germany and raised in England and the United States. He is the author of the short story collection Vladimir’s Mustache. A former Fulbright Fellow to Ukraine, he teaches at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. This is his first novel.