A
Note From The Author Of
"Father's Mechanical Universe"
|
|
|
|
Among the potential pleasure–and perils–of publishing a novel are the responses an author receives, if he is fortunate enough to receive anything at all, from his readers. Since the initial publication of The Automotive History of Lucky Kellerman in 1987, over the years I’ve heard from a surprising number of readers–surprising at least to one who early on learned to value silence. For those who have remained interested in Lucky all this time, I offer this prequel, intended not to extend the story of Lucky and Curly Kellerman, but to recast their tale by revisioning a portion of it through the eyes of the future recipient of Lucky’s legacy. For me, slipping inside Curly’s skin was at times not unlike Lucky’s efforts to comprehend the mysteries of his own life while constructing a classic automobile from piles of junk. Like Lucky himself, I eventually discovered the boy had grown far beyond the original dreams of his progenitor. In June of 1995 my father, Stephen Francis Heller
Sr., the man who was the inspiration for Lucky Kellerman, passed away. He
is survived by my mother, Elizabeth Hale Heller, on whom the character of
Babe is based. This story is a further tribute to their remarkable life
together. In the way of many significant changes in my own life, I want to
especially thank one person–my wife, Sheyene Foster Heller, my first and
best reader–who, together with my children, teaches me each day the
reasons why one writes.
-----------------------------------
|
|
