ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The process for getting Stillwater into your hands has spanned ten years, numerous drafts, and lots of help from family, friends, and fellow writers.

First and foremost, thank you to my agent, Alice Speilburg, who didn’t laugh when I told her I wanted to be published by the time I was 45, but went to work and made it happen.

Thanks to Nicole Frail for making the editing experience a breeze, and for knowing the perfect moment to start an email with, “Now, before you get anxious …” Working with you has been a blast.

Thank you to Judy and Beth for being there in the beginning, for encouraging, supporting, cheering me on, and being the best beta readers I’ve ever had.

Thank you to Mark for patiently mentoring me through the long, slow process of becoming a professional writer. I absolutely wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for you.

Thank you to Mom and Dad, for always believing in me, and to Mom specifically for the recurring dream that pulled Stillwater together.

Thank you to Nancy, Roy, Barbara, and Jackie for helping me find the beginning of the story.

Thank you to Corporal Tom Pressley (Retired) for answering all my police procedural questions, and to Teresa Pressley for the technical beta read. Any police procedural mistakes I made are my own.

Thanks to the members of the DFW Writers’ Workshop for smacking me down and building me up when I need it. I’m a better writer for both, but especially the smack downs.

Thanks to all of my friends for the unflagging encouragement, support, and love.

Thanks to my three favorite people in the world, Jay, Ryan, and Jack. There’s a little bit of the three of you in Jack and Ethan McBride. The good parts, I promise.