Acknowledgements

 

Heaven’s Prey is the story of some of the voices in my head, but I needed many real-life voices to help me discover how best to tell it. My earliest notes go back almost 20 years, so you can imagine how many people have made a difference along the way. I can’t list them all here, but I’m deeply grateful to each one.

 

Thank you to my key supporters:

My amazing husband, Russell, for believing in me even when I haven’t believed in myself, for supporting my writing habit, and for patient IT help (including a dramatic tech rescue of the entire manuscript in my pre-backup days). My sons Adam, Andrew, and Matthew, fine young men who warm my heart, make me laugh, and inspire me. My daughter-in-heart, photographer Amanda Walker, who took my author photo. My parents, Fred and Beverlee Wamboldt, who encouraged me to the point of sometimes paying my airfare to writing conferences. Extended family and friends (some of whom read earlier drafts of this novel even though it’s not their usual fare) for enduring my quirks.

 

Thank you to my writing family:

The members of the Metro Christian Writers critique group, past and present (especially Sheila Boissonneault who instigated it all, Cynthia d’Entremont for her big-picture insights, and Patricia Thomas, whose sharp editorial eye saw what needed fixing in my final draft), InScribe Christian Writers Fellowship (especially Lyn Kublick and Eunice Matchett), The Word Guild (especially NJ Lindquist, Elma Schemenauer and Mary Waind), and American Christian Fiction Writers.

 

Thank you to Leslie H. Stobbe, my agent, for wise advice, encouragement and reality checks along the way, and to Choose NOW Publishing, especially Nicole O’Dell, for taking a chance on a debut novelist, and Valerie Comer and Angela Breidenbach for their keen insights in editing and marketing. Thank you to Christina Fuselli for her amazing cover art.

 

A special thanks to retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, Robert Chase, serving at the Chester, Nova Scotia detachment when I visited with questions. His helpful input on police procedures shaped the final chapters of the story. As well, special thanks to author Judith James for her enlightening information on Kingston Penitentiary. Anything I got right, the credit goes to these two patient and generous individuals. Anything I got wrong, that’s me.

 

Above all, I thank God for allowing me to write and for giving me the ideas and the push I needed to use them.