ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

When I reflect back on the genesis, creation and completion of a book, I’m humbled by the outpouring of help, support and encouragement I’ve received along the way.

 

As Directed is no exception.

 

This book was a challenge right from the start. I knew I wanted to write a complex story with characters to match. Fortunately, I have a wonderful community of friends, family, experts and readers ready to lend a hand with medical research, literary analysis, ninja-proofreading, adjective-wrangling, hand-holding and coffee-dosing. Because of them, challenge became fulfillment.

 

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to so many people and communities. Here, I’m hitting the highlights.

 

My eternal gratitude to my family for their support and ability to feign surprise when I reveal a plot twist at a reading.

 

My deepest thanks to beta-readers, intrepid commenters and tireless advice-givers Rachel, Valerie, Lisa and Nancy for keeping me on track, inspired and always chasing the power of Better.

 

My admiration and appreciation to Phyllis for her kick-butt extraordinary proofreading and copyediting skills.

 

My heartfelt thanks to medical advisors Daymen, Allan, Tabitha and Annette for keeping me on track.

 

My endless appreciation to the Henery Press team and my agent, Jordan, at Literary Counsel for their wisdom, insight and counsel.

 

My profound gratitude to author friends who opened their arms and hearts to welcome and support me.

 

And finally to the readers, my tribe, who believe in the magic of words and the power of pages, who not only hang out with Maggie and Constantine but ask what’s next for them, as if they’re valued friends hoped to be seen at an upcoming barbecue—I’m so very grateful for you.

 

To all of you and those whose names I hold in my heart, I offer my many thanks.

 

As always, any errors are my own.