Acknowledgments
They say that it takes an entire village to raise a child, and this is true for a book as well.
It started with a seemingly innocuous conversation with Robert Hoekman Jr. at a SXSWi 2009 party where I met his editor, Wendy Sharp. That brief meeting and business card exchange set in motion a series of events that have produced this book.
I can’t thank Wendy enough for taking the overly ambitious writing schedules that I created for myself with a huge grain of salt, for maintaining my voice while magically cutting away half the words, and for appreciating my oddball sense of humor. I am indebted to my technical editor Estelle Weyl for invaluable feedback that kept my code clean and for being even more of a web standardista than I am. I thank our copy editor, Jacqueline Aaron, for her hard work and for going beyond the call of duty by editing the content of the website examples. Myrna Vladic was the book production manager extraordinaire, generous with her time and energy in answering my questions and responding to my needs. Thanks go to our designer, Charlene Will, for running with the book concept and giving the book a fun and snappy look-and-feel. And Rick Gordon provided great page layout, and I really appreciated his praise for the concept of the book when he said that it’s “the CSS book I’ve needed, and so far, hadn’t found.”
When plagued by doubts at the beginning of the project, I received amazing support from peers, mentors, and former colleagues (my own personal version of Webgrrls): Tiffany B. Brown, Cecily Walker, Elaine Nelson, Leslie Jensen-Inman, Jen Hanen, Yvette Ferry, Cindy Li, Glenda Sims, Lynne D. Johnson, Gillian Reynolds, Kathy E. Gill, Anna B. Scott, Molly Holzschlag, Erica Mauter, Eris Stassi, Shawn Lawton-Henry, Alison Cramer, Sara Newman, Kimberlee Jensen-Stedl, Andrea Pruneda, Melissa Acedera, Stephanie Sullivan, and Christine Van Valey.
Speaking of Webgrrls, thanks by association goes to Aliza Sherman for creating Webgrrls, and to Betsy Aoki, Anne Baker, and Honora Wade and for starting, growing and expanding Seattle Webgrrls and DigitalEve Seattle. Being a part of that community gave me one of the best starts in the industry that anyone, female or male, could ever want. I am pleased to still be connected with DigitalEve Seattle and NWR lists, whose members were extraordinarily supportive when I needed it the most.
Deep thanks goes to the Web Standards Project Educational Task Force members for cheering me on through the process and being understanding about my schedule constraints: Aarron Walter, Chris Mills, Nick Fogler, Christopher Schmitt, Virginia DeBolt, Terry Morris, Jinny Potter, Jeffrey Brown, Zac Gordon, Lars Gunther, Jessi Taylor, Rob Dickerson.
Similarly, I want to thank the members of Social Media Club South Florida for their interest in and excitement about this project, and cutting me slack on event planning: Agustina Prigoshin, Ulises Orozco, Alex de Carvalho, Murray Izenwasser, Angie Moncada, Toby Srebnik, Jay Berkowitz, Neil Bardach, John Prieur, Matthew Chamberlin, Michelle Catin.
I am excited to be a part of the growing tech community in South Florida, fast becoming known as Silicon Beach. Compatriots include Maria de los Angeles, Robert Murray, Brian Breslin, Davide de Cecillo, Willie Morris, Stefani Whylie, Chris Fullman, Ines Hegedus-Garcia, Tami Stillwell, Steve Roitstein, Alisha Vera, David Bisset, Ben Bewick, Josue Rodriguez, Amanda Stewart, Patrick Barbanes, Enzo Balc, Miguel Lopez, Lisa Sparks, and Michelle Villalobos.
My BXSW peeps and SXSW and TODCon buddies supported me indirectly, largely without them knowing it. Just being associated with these folks is reward enough: J. Smith, E.J. Flavors, Baratunde Thurston, Rhazes Spell, Jason Toney, George Kelly, Twanna Hines, Michael Moss, Jeffrey Bowman, Dave Shea, Hugh Forest, Jim Turner, David Stiller, Kris Krug, Tara Hunt, and Dori Smith.
Mentors, former teachers, and people who have always believed in me also get due thanks: Julia A. Davis, Mary MacDonald, Cynthia Mapes, Pam Conine, Rebecca Llyod, Wadiyah Nelson, Carlene Brown, Merri-jo Hillaker, and Beth Wilson.
My long-term Lovefest and YS chosen family have stuck with me for at least seventeen years and hopefully they will stick around for a few more: Andrew Lambert, Jessica Meistrich-Gidal, Lisa von Trotha, Stephen Moses, Stephanie Graham-Lvovich, Carole Vacher, Jeremy Dragt, Lenny Rede, Emilie Zuffrey, Corinna MacDonald, and Michael Harris.
Local-yocals checked on me to make sure everything was on track and often provided occasional necessary diversions away from writing: Brent Knoll, Natalie Morales, Melissa DeCastillo, Marlon Norris, Tricia Bannister, Terry Toney, David Fernan, Martin Eschvarria, Mike Reynolds, and Caroline Gaudy.
I would be remiss not to acknowledge the 24/7 kitty companionship provided by Gheri and Malcolm (who are both on loan), Aashika, and Zealand (who are with me for the long haul).
Invaluable emotional support, preliminary readings, feedback, happy dances, and quite a few good dinners came from chosen sisters and close friends: Amber Zimmerman, Elizabeth Williams, Stephanie Troeth, and Julia Wakefield.
This book would not have been possible on so many levels without the support of my family: my sister, Diane Jacobs, my grandparents, Robbie Mae and William James Lowe. Most important, however, was the unwavering support on multiple levels from my mother, Deloria L. Jacobs. I only hope I can return the gesture one thousand-fold, Mom.
I want to give thanks in advance to all of the wonderful people who are coming into my life on all levels—professional, social, and personal. I am looking forward to meeting you.
An ultimate thank you goes to all of the people who read this book. I hope you can get something out it and that it helps you in way.