An author’s first novel is necessarily a product of his life experiences. It is not possible to acknowledge every person that made an impact on my life, but I would like to recognize three that made me a better writer.
First, my father, an English teacher early in his career. He taught me the joy that comes from creating with words. Second, Walter Broman, a professor of English at Whitman College who gave me permission to ignore convention. He was an inspirational and gifted teacher. Finally, Colonel (Ret.) Al Rubin, my immediate supervisor during my time as a Judge Advocate. Whenever I thought I had drafted the perfect document, he would return it to me with red ink all over it and ask, “Isn’t mine better?” It always was.
I also want to thank my agent, Sandra Bond. She believed in The Fractal Murders and never gave up. Equally important, she never let me give up. I want to remember Sara Ann Freed, the editor in chief at Mysterious Press when we were looking for a publisher. She took a chance on The Fractal Murders while others feared it was too unconventional. Tragically, Sara Ann died before The Fractal Murders hit the bookstores.
Kristen Weber at Mysterious Press provided help with the plot and proved a worthy editor, while at the same time giving me the freedom to write “my way” and graciously tolerating my quirks.
Profressor James D. Meiss of the University of Colorado and Professor Alex Kasman of the College of Charleston both read the manuscript and offered insight concerning the mathematics of the story and the world of mathematicians. To make The Fractal Murders enjoyable for those not mathematically inclined I have greatly simplified some of the concepts presented as part of the story. Any errors resulting from that effort are mine alone.
Writing a mystery while practicing law is no easy task. I want to thank my assistant, Sandy Enke, for her help and encouragement. Her willingness to shift from legal assistant to business manager to dog trainer while also serving as a general problem solver was a blessing.
My wife, Tana, provided love and encouragement while I was immersed in this project.
I want to say, “Woof” to Pepper and Scrappy up in heaven.
Finally, I want to thank Phoebe, Bear, and Wyatt. Their unselfish willingness to keep my tiny allotment of the bed warm while I was writing was critical to the success of The Fractal Murders.