ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This novel is only publishable because of the support and encouragement of several dear and clever souls; if my friend and mentor Alan Twigg and his lovely wife Tara hadn’t provided excellent feedback and convinced me to keep going and if that hadn’t led to the Vancouver Mayor’s Award for Emerging Literary Artist; if my daughter Amour Shukster hadn’t eliminated the first thick layer of typos; if I hadn’t had the camaraderie of the Cocktail Duck Writers with whom I regularly hole-up so that we can ”retreat to move forward”, as well as the enthusiastic feedback of librarian-with-a-passion and cousin Janine Jevne, and writer Andrew Campbell; and if not for the shelter of the Nicola River retreat provided by Randy and Jeff. My gratitude to all of you knows no end.

I also owe thanks to my editor Michael Kenyon, and the experts who tethered my imaginings to reality. Staff-Sergeant Kevin Morton provided feedback as both a member of the RCMP and an avid reader. Dr. John Butt confirmed that my chosen “cause of death” could be fatal and Provincial Court Judge Joe Galati gave me guidance about the judicial system in British Columbia circa 1979. Any errors, gaping or minor, are mine alone. My family, too, deserves my everlasting gratitude. My children, Amour, Shamus, and Kelsey, grew up to the sound of typewriter keys clicking, then my mutterings when computers wouldn’t cooperate, and they never complained when dinner was delayed because I had one more page to finish. Then there is Ken Hewlett, my husband and best friend, who picks me up when I’m down, fills the house with soothing music, and was the very first to read A Nose for Death.