Ink Flamingos

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The plot of this book grew from reading tattoo blogs on the Internet. I am indebted to Bill Cohen of Tattoosday for his friendship and amazing photographs and stories of tattoos and tattooing. Ania Nowak of Aniareads gave me more insight into what it really means to be tattooed and the journey people take when they undergo body modification. Many thanks to Cheryl Violante and Angelo Pompano, my intrepid first readers, for their eagle eyes and undaunting support. Alison Gaylin, Lori Armstrong, Jeff Shelby, Patty Smiley, and Neil Smith are always just an e-mail or phone call away, ready to lend an ear. I hope I’m as helpful to them as they are to me. My agent, Jack Scovil, has stuck with me from the beginning, and I am grateful for his unwavering support and honesty. I must thank Kristen Weber, my former editor, for convincing me to write this series in the first place. When I started, I had no idea how much fun these books would be and how I would love these characters, at the same time growing as a writer, stepping out of my comfort zone and giving me more confidence. I owe that to her. And finally, to Chris and Julia, who have suffered trips to Las Vegas-dining at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, climbing the rocks at Red Rock Canyon, solving crimes at CSI: The Experience at the MGM-and patiently allowed me the time to create this world, you are everything to me.