Dear Reader,
Peg, the protagonist in Island Life Sentence, faces a hurricane in Key West, Florida.
I’m writing these acknowledgments in my third evacuation location while fleeing the path of Hurricane Irma. The irony of this situation does not escape me. The odd thing is – I feel fortunate. The eye of the hurricane missed our island and our house. There are so many people in the Keys that can’t say that. My heart goes out to them.
When packing to evacuate my house, it was surreal to have to choose which items I wanted to save. To look around the rooms and make decisions – do I keep the pictures my kids made for me when they were little? What about my Italian leather boots? Nope. They won’t fit. We were instructed to take a two-week supply of food and water – not to mention flashlights, batteries and poop bags for the dog and for us (not kidding).
In acknowledgment, first and foremost, I’d like to thank Key West. It’s a slice of paradise. Key West was my amusing Muse. That’s probably why everyone on the island is, by law, a writer. Secondly, I’d like to thank my writing coach Lisa Mahoney. I’m so grateful for her encouragement, support and her ability to draw a mean story arc diagram. We laughed a lot, even when we weren’t drinking. Thanks also to my husband Tom. I accepted 98 percent of his suggestions. Believe me, the other two percent were a better fit for a different genre of book.
Thank you to all of the wonderful pledgers, without whom this book would not have been possible. Many thanks to Unbound Publishing and their wonderful, professional staff across the pond. You are fabulous.