第64部分(第4/5頁)

n　of　Fried　Green　Tomatoes。）　In　fact；　everything　in　Paul's　front　story　…　the　story　of　his　life　at　the　Georgia　Pines　old　folks；　home　…　turned　out　to　my　satisfaction。　I　particularly　liked　the　way　that　Dolan；　the　orderly；　and　Percy　Wetmore　became　entwined　in　Paul's　mind。　And　that　was　not　something　I　planned　or　did　on　purpose；　like　the　happiest　of　fictions；　it　just　ambled　along　and　stepped　into　its　place。

I　want　to　thank　Ralph　Vicinanza　for　bringing　me　the　…　serial　thriller　…　idea　in　the　first　place；　and　all　my　friends　at　Viking　Penguin　and　Sig　for　getting　behind　it；　even　though　they　were　scared　to　death　at　the　beginning　（all　writers　are　crazy；　and　of　course　they　knew　that）。　I　also　want　to　thank　Marsha　DeFilippo；　who　transcribed　a　whole　stenographer's　notebook　full　of　my　cramped　handwriting　and　never　plained。　Well　。。。　rarely　plained。

Most　of　all；　though；　I　want　to　thank　my　wife；　Tabitha；　who　read　this　story　and　said　she　liked　it。　Writers　almost　always　write　with　some　ideal　reader　in　mind；　I　think；　and　my　wife　is　mine。　We　don't　always　see　eye　to　eye　when　it　es　to　what　we　each　write　（hell；　we　rarely　see　eye　to　eye　when　we're　shopping　together　in　the　supermarket）；　but　when　she　says　it's　good；　it　usually　is。　Because　she's　tough；　and　if　I　try　to　cheat　or　cut　a　er；　she　always　sees　it。

And　you；　Constant　Reader。　Thank　you；　as　well；　and　if　you　have　any　ideas　about　The　Green　Mile　as　a　single　volume；　please　let　me　know。

Stephen　KingApril　28；　1996New　York　City