ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 

I am lucky to have found a home for the stories of Katie and Maverick and want to extend my unending gratitude to Stephanie Dewey and Lee Ellison for their help making this extraordinary experience a reality, and the marvelous Beta readers—Marcia Koopmann and Isobel Tamney—who check the words and make them shine.

After an exciting whirlwind of good cheer, I have a moment to extend my appreciation to those who have read or listened to my stories, let me muddle through, and laughed with me. My list of names keeps growing, and if I miss someone, please accept my apologies.

Thank you to those dear to my heart who have provided encouragement, answers, shoulders to cry on, unfailing support, and advice along the way: my friends, readers, and cheerleaders—Colleen Okland; Jenifer Leitch, Evy Hatjistilianos, and Ruth Neely; my book buddies—Sandra Unger, Dr. Joan Christianson, Dr. Amy Ellingson, Eve Blomquist, and Maria Hughes; and tech support from Thomas Seifert.

A huge hug to my siblings and their spouses who’ve known me longest and never gave up on me—Margaret and Pat Sullivan, Michael and Patricia Gehlen, and Michele and Steve Germscheid. I hope you all see part of yourselves. My love of reading mysteries came from our mother, Jean, our grandfather, Harry, and our dad, John, who loved telling grand stories.

My biggest thank you goes to my family—a lifetime of appreciation to my husband John (you always let me dream), my children: Kindra, Danica, Charles, and Thomas, sons-in-law Adam and Mitch (you all maintained I could do it), and my grandchildren (your smiles warm my heart). I couldn’t have done it without you.

A huge thank you to all who have taken time to read. If you like what you read, please leave a review on your bookseller’s webpage or on your favorite media site.