Acknowlegdements

Deepest gratitude goes to my loving husband, Steve, for being there for me above and beyond all reasonable expectation. Thank you so very much to my stellar publisher, Gwen Gades, for not only taking The Raven’s Daughter for Dragon Moon Press, but for the beautiful cover art. I have so much appreciation for John Kenny from Dublin, Ireland, a terrific pro editor with a keen eye (you helped me so much, John, with those first ten pages), and to his wife, my lovely friend, Susan Caldwell, who put me in contact with John.

I have a bucket load of gratitude for my gem of an editor, Andie Gibson, and for the Hemet Writing Group—first of all big thanks to the wonderful Ray Strait, friend, mentor, and talented writer —and, thank you to my other good friends and teachers in the group, Jim Hitt, Vicki Hitt, JoLynne Buehring, C.J. Hernley, Lucille Hedges, Christine Stabile, Jim Parrish, Lynne Morgan-Spreen, Natalie Flikkema and Harlee Lassiter. (Rest in peace, Harlee. You were a class act).

Many thanks to my wonderful subject-matter expert, David Laffranchini, former Undersheriff in Trinity County, California, and Administration of Justice instructor at Shasta College. A note of thanks, too, to Dan Lambach, retired from the Los Angeles Police Department, and one cool ex-motorcycle cop, for your ideas and direction that night at the holiday party.

Thank you Deb Hoag, my former writing partner, for scanning every line of this manuscript and providing great feedback. Marie E. Berglund, wonderful long-time friend and wonderful attorney, thank you so much (you know why).

Thank you Denise Dumars, my one-time agent and still wonderful friend of more than thirty years. Your constant support means the world to me. Also, a nod of appreciation to the people of Trinity County, California, and Weaverville in particular (known in the book as Wild River County, and Wicklow, California).

And lastly, thank you so very much to my mom who cheered me on every step of the way (I miss you so much, Mom), and to all my good friends who absolutely believed I could write this book even when I absolutely doubted I could.