Acknowledgements

Greatest thanks to the Usual Suspects ...

Trish Lucy, my smarter half, who not only does everything for me except cook, she makes everything possible and better.

My critiquing and writing wizards of many years who tell it like it is and how it should be, re-shaping and re-moulding lumps of words into something discernible: Chris Crowder, Amy Tector and Alette J. Willis.

My brilliant beta readers: Doreen Arnoni, Marc Brown and Mary Gellner, and of course my sharp editor Julie Roorda.

My talented nephew Avery Ng who illustrated a kick-ass cover at age fourteen, and Erica Russell for her artistic advice and expertise.

Michael Mirolla and Guernica Editions for merging old school decency with a thirst for borderless originality.