I drew inspiration from many old friends, including Cassandra Harris Lockwood and her wonderful Harris family, my very first best friend, Elaine Fardig, and her family, the Melvilles, Chip Davis, the Shaws, Carl Schwarzer, Penny and Tony Rochford, Nancy Haas, Lieutenant Saul Jaeger of the Mountain View Police Department, Robert Hurst, and many more.
My parents, George and Betty, gave me the backing that I wanted Marly to have. Thank you, Pal, Doug, Rob, Buffy, and Erin. I am very grateful that my father always remembered I had a book coming, even after he had forgotten so many other life events.
There is a special place in heaven for my beta readers who encouraged me to continue after my first draft when I didn’t even realize how much more work was required: Rob Bickford, Syddie Sowles, Pauline Ores, Michael Reade, Cassandra Harris Lockwood, Ellen Jorgensen, and Nikki Sabin.
My deepest appreciation goes to my agent, Anne Hawkins, and to my editor, Michaela Hamilton, and the entire team at Kensington Publishing. There is no thrill quite like finding people who really get your book.
And to Central New York—the place that made me.
For those who would like to know more about the murder of my classmates Kathy Bernhardt and George Ann Formicola, I recommend The Devil at Genesee Junction, by Michael Benson, published by Rowman & Littlefield.
Don’t miss Susan Alice Bickford’s next exciting suspense novel
DREAD OF WINTER
Coming from Kensington Publishing Corp. in 2018!
Photo by Kristina Vetter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan Alice Bickford was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Central New York. Her passion for technology pulled her to Silicon Valley, where she became an executive at a leading technology company. She now works as an independent consultant and continues to be fascinated by all things high tech. She splits her time between Silicon Valley and Vermont. A Short Time to Die is her first novel. Visit her on Facebook or at www.susanalicebickford.com.
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