I’m indebted to my French publisher, Oliver Gallmeister, le roi du noir.
To fellow author Matt Coyle—you may not be much of a pontificator, but you’re a helluva writer and a class act.
I’d like to thank my Novel Lab students. Hopefully, I have inspired you as much as you have inspired me.
Michael Hanson—you’re the champ. I believe you single-handedly purchased more copies of my first novel, Deep Winter, than anyone else. Keep up the good work.
A big thank-you goes to Dr. Mark Matz for his kindness and advisement.
A few of my friends deserve an acknowledgment for helping me in the writing process, whether they knew it or not: Brian Price, a gifted writer with a warped mind like my own. Christi Derreberry, who helped shed some light on the darker streets of Charlotte, NC. Jerry Abrams, a guy I’ve known since growing up in the backwoods of Pennsylvania, and who also happens to write the funniest damn letters ever crafted. And to Stu “Bern” Smith, thanks for making the epic trip to Orcas and reading at the eleventh hour.
Since I started my thank-yous at home, I’ll end there as well. I want to express my gratitude to the folks of Orcas Island. I completed my novel on this magical Salish Sea isle. It’s a special place and not just because of its majestic landscape or clean air or the fact that it’s home to the Orcas Island Lit Fest and to Darvill’s—one of the best bookstores on the planet. No, it runs deeper than that. This artistic community, and the new friends I’ve made along the way, make me realize that I finally found where I belong.
The Guilt We Carry Page 26