Flip the Bird
Page 27
Through George and Bernadette, I met a falconer who lived in my area, Troy Moritz. He let me hang out with him and his goshawk, Helena. I asked him a billion questions while observing his mews and the proper care of his bird. He was even a beta reader for my book long ago, guiding me about specifics when I went off track about falconry practices. (Yep! The peregrine falcon in my story is named after this kind man.) Later on, I was lucky enough to be invited to be a bush beater during a hunt with a group of falconers in central Illinois, which allowed me to experience firsthand the magic and respect falconers have for the most beautiful and majestic birds on earth.
Excellent books on falconry by authors Emma Ford, Frank Beebe, Phillip Glasier, and Bill Oakes also contributed to my understanding of this sport, as well as advice by Joe Nelson from Florida Falconers and the kind souls on the forum of the North American Falconers Association. Thank you for your guidance.
Any mistakes about the proper methods of falconry in this novel are mine alone, however. If, after reading Flip the Bird, any readers want to become falconers, you’ll need to take apprentice lessons and find a sponsor in your area. As I’m sure you have gathered, falconry is a very specialized passion that demands the supervision of professionals, along with an extreme commitment to the proper care of your birds.
I’d also like to give a giant hug to Jeanette Ruby, my brilliant friend and biologist, who enlightened me about the necessity and procedural practices of animal experimentation as determined by the FDA for drug approval. I’m forever indebted to friend and freelance editor Maria Mooshil, who combed through the novel before submission and got all the tangles out. Thanks also to Sergeant Rick Kappelman of the Arlington Heights Police Department, who instructed me about the rights of protesters to assemble peaceably and what charges might be filed when activists go too far.
Without supportive friends and family, my life would be a sad and lonely place. Thanks especially to my closest author buddies and confidantes, Cherie Colyer, Katie Sparks, and Veronica Rundell for their intuitiveness, enthusiasm, and guidance. Showers of appreciation go out to the rest of my Wednesday night SCBWI writing pals as well.
On the home front, I need to give a friendly pat to my two lapdogs, Sophie and Kahlua, as well as an enthusiastic shout-out to my loving parents, Rita and OB, my two older brothers, Keith and Kevin (who were my inspiration for the sibling bond in this novel), my three gorgeous daughters, Kaitlin, Emily, and Karly, and to my hunky giant of a husband, John. My life is infinitely better whenever any of you are around. Thanks for cheering me on every step of the way. My love for all of you is never-ending.
And last, and most important, eternal gratitude to our heavenly Father, who continues to bless me beyond what I deserve and whose faithful guidance I couldn’t live without.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author photograph © Karly Brunner
KYM BRUNNER is the author of the YA novels Wanted: Dead or In Love and One Smart Cookie. She teaches seventh-grade reading and language arts in a suburb of Chicago. While she wishes she were partners with a red-tailed hawk of her own, she’s content to tend to the many feathered friends (along with a few feisty squirrels) who show up at her bird-feeding stations.
Visit her website at www.kymbrunner.com