Acknowledgements

Writing is often seen as a solitary act, and there’s no doubt writers spend plenty of time inside their own heads. Even those, like me, who write in public—the coffee shop, the library, the nearest pub—spend an inordinate amount of time focused on the keyboard and on the hermitic act of creation. Despite that, I find the collaborative aspects of writing to be among the most rewarding. Interactions with readers, other writers, friends, and colleagues keep me as sane as I am likely to ever be. Sometimes it’s kicking around ideas, sometimes it’s commiserating, but mostly it’s just sharing a love of the written word.

I’m not sure what I’d do without my friends, fellow writers Brett Battles and Rob Browne. Daily IM buddies, and drinking buddies on those too rare occasions when we find ourselves in the same city. They’re never more than an email or a phone call away when I need them. And not to be overlooked are Tasha Alexander, Kelli Stanley, JT Ellison, and Eric Stone—confederates and confidants all!

On the research front, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Dr. Steven Seres, who coached me on acute trauma care, particularly the effects of gunshot wounds. Whatever I managed to get right on the medical front is thanks to him. Whatever I got wrong is all on me.

Thanks as always go out to Janet Reid for her hard work on my behalf and for her deadly shark’s teeth, perhaps not so sharp as she might like us all to believe. Thank you also to Tyrus Books publisher Ben LeRoy and editor (and Sheriff) Alison Janssen for being smart and delightfully nerdy, and for their vision and risk-taking. I am humbled to be part of the of Tyrus family.

I thank my good friends and fellow writers Candace Clark, Andy Fort, Corissa Neufeldt, and Theresa Snyder, who beta-read Day One and offered invaluable critiques.

And last, but not least, I thank my lovely wife Jill, who puts up with my tics and weirdnesses and gets mad when I kill off her favorite characters, but who manages to love me nonetheless.