"Bird Bones and Wood Ash" is original to this collection.

"A Tempest in Her Eyes" first appeared in Weird Tales from Shakespeare, edited by Katharine Kerr and Martin H. Greenberg; DAW Books, 1994. Copyright © 1994 by Charles de Lint.

"Saxophone Joe and the Woman in Black" first appeared in Catfantastic III, edited by Andre Norton and Martin H. Greenberg; DAW Books, 1994. Copyright © 1994 by Charles de Lint.

"The Bone Woman" was first published by Triskell Press, 1992. Copyright © 1992 by Charles de Lint.

"Pal o' Mine" first appeared in Christmas Forever, edited by David G. Hartwell; Tot Books, 1993. Copyright © 1993 by Charles de Lint.

"Where Desert Spirits Crowd the Night" first appeared in Worlds of Fantasy and Horror #2, Fall 1994. Copyright © 1994 by Charles de Lint.

"Dream Harder, Dream True" first appeared in Temporary Walls, edited by Greg Ketter and Robert T. Garcia; Dream-Haven Books, 1993. Copyright © 1993 by Charles de Lint.

"The Pochade Box" first appeared in Thunder's Shadow, Vol. V, No. 1, 1994. Copyright © 1994 by Charles de Lint.

"Coyote Stories" was first published by Triskell Press, 1993. Copyright © 1993 by Charles de Lint.

"The Forever Trees" first appeared in Worlds of Fantasy and Horror #2, Fall 1994. Copyright © 1994 by Charles de Lint.

Acknowledgements

As anyone involved knows, contrary to the belief that artists create in the isolation of their workspaces, the act of creation is not a solitary endeavor. Without the inspiration and support I've received over the years, these stories wouldn't exist, so this time out I'd like to thank:

My wife; MaryAnn, for her help in the genesis of many of these stories and in their fine-tuning, always knowing when and where to say the right thing;