Acknowledgements

I’ve been remiss with keeping up with the blog over the past couple of weeks. Even though I hate excuses, I have a pretty good one all the same! Even though I posted it on Facebook a few times, my super stellar literary agent sold LINCOLN’S BODYGUARD to Oceanview Publishing. It is due out April 2015, just in time for the 150^th anniversary of President Lincoln’s assassination. For those who don’t know, the novel is an alternative look at history, where Lincoln survives John Wilkes Booth’s assassination attempt.

In any event, I’ve been busy trying to finalize edits to the manuscript, and getting the incredible Oceanview staff all the background they need. But last night I turned in a big packet of information, and I’m back to the keyboard!

One of the exciting things I was asked to supply my publisher was an acknowledgements for the novel. I’ve secretly dreamed of getting the chance to write them, but never dared take a stab at it until asked. I didn’t want to risk ruining any publishing Karma! Actually sitting down to write the acknowledgments was humbling. For years I’ve read that section in every book I’ve picked up, mostly out of jealousy. But in writing mine for LINCOLN’S BODYGUARD, I’m humbled by how much help I’ve had along the way. To that end, I’ll post those acknowledgements here, just to show my appreciation to all those that have lent a hand. Thanks!

Writing may be a solitary act, but no writer can go it alone. I know there is no way I can adequately thank everyone who has inspired, pushed, cajoled or sometimes kicked me forward, but I will at least try to account for all those who have helped see LINCOLN’S BODYGUARD into print. In trying to remember all those involved I am humbled by the realization that telling Joseph and Molly’s story was truly a community effort.

First I must thank my beautiful wife. Nancy taunted me into writing my first novel, not realizing the many nights she would go to bed without me as I stayed up behind my keyboard. My children, Cheyan, Jia, and Sierra (Boo), who all think it’s normal for Daddy to spend so much time behind the computer. To my parents, Connie and Jim, and my brothers Nick and Erik, who suffered through those early drafts and meandering storylines. I also have to thank Gwyn Sundell for reading many, many drafts, and Basil Blank for testing out the final version. Then there are the readers of the “Yellow Springs Wine Sipping Club with a Book Problem” who pulled no punches: Jen Clark (and Jason Clark who came for the wine), Karla Horvath, Kathleen Galarza, Eden Matteson, Nan Meekin, Melissa Tinker and Betty Tinker.

The Antioch Writer’s Workshop and the Bill Baker Award got me started on this writing career.  Thank you Sharon Short, Becky Morean, Lee Huntington, and Wendy Hart-Beckman for helping me fine-tune the story, and Jane Baker and family for establishing the award named after her husband. I also have Colonel (ret.) Vic Brown, Carol Callicotte, Jim Satterfield, and Peter Hogenkamp to thank for lending their perspective, as well as Bill Phillips who pushed me toward writing this story. Thanks also to Maddee James for a fantastic website in an age where authors and social media are impossible to separate.

My amazing Literary Agent Elizabeth Kracht (Kimberley Cameron & Associates) is the kind of agent who is in it for the long haul with all her writers, honing their craft while she guides their careers. I will be forever indebted to Liz for the guidance and all her hard work. Lincoln’s Bodyguard would never have wound up in front of Liz if not for Mary Moore who read that early draft and believed in the story. Finally, I have to thank Pat and Bob Gussin at Oceanview Publishing for taking a chance on a debut author!