Hi everyone:

Thanks for your interest in The Boom.

I'm an accidental author. I was working as a staff writer for the Wall Street Journal when I was assigned to cover energy in 2002. It was either that or Wal-Mart. It was an easy choice.

The companies I started covering were just beginning to frack their wells. The energy revolution was beginning, although few outside of Oklahoma City and Houston knew what was going on. Truth be told, few in OKC or Houston figured it out. Of those who did, some would go on to make fortunes.

I covered fracking for about five years, writing the first national articles about the rise of fracking. Then one day I got a call from my parents about 100 acres they owned in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. A company wanted to lease the land, drill a well and frack it.

Should they do it?

It's a question that forced me to put down my reporter's notebook and think about some bigger questions. Should we embrace fracking and natural gas? Will it leave the world a better place.

I didn't realize it at the time, but I had embarked on the great adventure of writing a book. I visited and interviewed some of the most fascinating characters and learned amazing stories.

I hope you enjoy reading it.

Russell