It is true that the first people I want to thank are the members of the incredible Amberjack Publishing team. From the moment I spoke with Dayna Anderson and Kayla Church, I knew they were the publishers for me, and my editor, Jenny Miller, has been supportive and helpful throughout the process, as has Cami Wasden, the office assistant. Sometimes you think you’re going in the right direction, but you’re not sure. With the Amberjack crew, I’m definitely home, and I can’t thank them enough for their editorial direction, help with marketing, and their overall spirit.
Throughout the process of writing The Mourning Parade, my writing community supported me. I started the novel while in the Algonkian Novelists Workshop, and Michael Neff, the founder, and I had several long conversations about where the story was going. Literary agent and developmental editor extraordinaire, Elizabeth Kracht, suggested the new title and helped me reshape the story’s arc. Damian McNicholls and Laura Rennert also made suggestions that were helpful in developing the story.
Ron Jackson inspired at least two of the scenes that made the final cut and his rich way of interpreting scenes strengthened my words. Carolyn Burns Bass, Christine Mojica, Shannon Capone Kirk, and Lolita Guevarra have all heard bits and pieces of the storyor have read the entire novel (sometimes several times). I don’t know what I would have done without them! Carolyn’s voice rang through my head as I wrote, Shannon boosted my ego when I needed it, Christine read the early drafts of the book, and Lolita sat with me when I wrote the final draft. And my Facebook family has cheered me on, helped me choose photos and graphics, and listened to all my trials, tribulations, and celebrations. My heartfelt thanks to each of you.
The folks at the Elephant World in Kanchanaburi, Thailand taught me more than they’ll ever realize. Their old bull, Rom Sai, was my inspiration for Ali. Lek Chailert and her sanctuaries have done an incredible job bringing attention to the plight of elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She’s well known all over the world for what she’s done for Asian elephants. In a different part of the world, Dame Daphne Sheldrick is equally as well known in Kenya for her work with saving baby elephants. These incredible women formed the basis of my research on elephants, and I counted on their expertise – as well as my experience at the elephant sanctuaries in both Thailand and Africa—to complete this work.
The Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities gave me space and time I needed to finish the final draft of the book, though I needed to compete with spooky stories to do so! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
And finally, my family and friends have put up with my crazy work schedule and habits of disappearing to jot something down on a napkin for too many years. You all know I love you.