ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Some years back, a crabby reviewer criticized my debut collection of short fiction for the number of people I acknowledged, which took up no more than a scant half page. Ridiculous! Everyone knows that most books are not published without a tremendous amount of help. This was definitely the case with Dead Love, which was very nearly consigned to a premature burial. So here, at the risk of further censure, is a very big thank you to just a few of the lovely people who were so generous with their time, energy, and support.

Thanks, first and foremost, to Lowry McFerrin, who has provided years of thoughtful editorial guidance, considerable handholding, and many a celebratory cocktail along the way. Thanks also to early readers Katsu Miyata, Christi Phillips, Lauren Cuthbert, Susan Brennan, Paul McHugh, Maureen Wheeler, Alison Biggar, Richard Passetti, Amelia Passetti, Jared McFerrin, Colleen McFerrin, Lucy Wu, Johanna Schupbach, and Mary Brent Cantarutti for their comments and encouragement, and to Rosemary James of the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society for her love of literature and generosity of spirit.

I’m profoundly grateful to Peter Lang, Laurie McAndish King, Bradley Charbonneau, and Cheryl McLaughlin for their Internet and social media networking advice. Peter Goodman, Andy Ross, Ari, Linda, Maren, and Baba—many thanks for the creative and professional muscle (this includes lifting big boxes of books) that has finally seen this project to publication, and my admiration goes to Hikaru Sasahara, Evan Miller, and Botan Yamada for their terrific manga representation of the work. Thanks to Tim Cahill for being himself: a brilliant man you can count on. Finally, a very special thank you to Elaine and Bill Petrocelli, the entire staff at Book Passage, and the marvelous members of Left Coast Writers® for the constant company and enthusiasm for all things literary, and to all those who, like me, love and are fascinated by zombies.

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