I was blessed to have the help and support of many talented people to whom I want to express my sincere thanks:
To my wonderful staff, Joyce Head, Sandi Miller, Heidi Stepanovitch, Donna Cash, and Deborah Johnson, for all their help and support.
To Diane Reverand, my editor, for her insight, feedback and expertise, and Janet Dery, Richard Rhorer, and the other wonderful staff at HarperCollins.
To my literary agent, Jan Miller, and her wonderful assistant, Shannon Mizer-Marven, who both shared my vision and enthusiasm for this book and pushed to help make it a reality.
To Wes Smith for your tireless and committed effort, for taking my thoughts and ideas and building a foundation on which this manuscript was built. This project couldn’t have been done without you.
To my sister Toni Malliet for your guidance and support. When I need you you always come through.
Special thanks to my friend Arabella Grayson for your countless hours, insight, enduring support, and positive attitude throughout this entire project. I thank God for you.
To Marsha Cansler for her professional insight, writing, and organization of the entire project of updating this book.
And finally, to the many individuals who have in their own special ways contributed to the creation of this book: Cherie Carter-Scott, Ph.D.; Joy Carver, Dan Clark, Ron Cox, Beverly Forte, Ph.D.; Reggie Green, Daelyn Gruenberg, Hattie Hill, Janet Hill, Sam Horn, Clove Hoover, Kathy Jeremiah, Steve and Kelly Lynn Pipkin, Ellen Joan Pollack, Mark Seal, Doug Smart, Colandra Wright, Carolyn Zatto, Chris Carey, and Kay duPont.