Veil of Lies

Acknowledgments

Books don’t just happen. And as much as I’d like to think it only takes one brilliant author to sit alone in a room with a keyboard and a monitor, it involves just a little bit more than that. It’s been a long, interesting road to get to this point. So many people to thank, especially after fourteen years.

First and foremost, my grateful thanks go out to my husband, Craig, to whom I have dedicated this book. Throughout fourteen years of rejections when I started out writing historical fiction until I buckled down to write historical mystery, he has been standing by my side encouraging me. “It will happen someday,” he’d say. “I’m sure of it.” He was right. And thanks also to my wonderful son, Graham, who happily liked to play by himself all those years ago because Mom was always locked in her office writing.

With historical mystery comes its own set of problems. There is a lot of traipsing back and forth to various libraries, so I am always grateful to the helpful staff of the Tomas Rivera Library at the University of California at Riverside, and also to Nancy Smith and her fine staff at the Sun City Library (“Who is that woman and why is she always here?”). And what I couldn’t glean from my local libraries, I garnered from some very helpful scholars, historians, and writers I met online at mediev-l.

Many thanks also go out to my best friend, Marie Meadows, who has been my own personal cheering section. We spent many hours discussing plot and working on Crispin’s coat of arms. Thanks also to Luci Zahray, who probably doesn’t know how much she encouraged me; to Kat Cormie for giving me a great turn of plot; Henk ’t Jong for translation help; Francesco Dall’Aglio at the Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Filosofici in Naples for the embarrassing Italian (sure glad we exchanged e-mails and didn’t have to say naughty words to each other over the phone!).

Where would I be without the judicious eyes of my critique groups? First, there was Rebecca Farnbach and Carol Thomas with their sharp red pencils. Later, my Vicious Circle, which consists of Ana Brazil, Bobbie Gosnell, and Laura James, had a crack at it. These indefatigable ladies know how to put me in my place (and that ain’t easy!). Their virtual pencils may not be red, but they are sharp enough to pin me down, slap me a little, and make it all work. And thanks also to the online group Guppies of Sisters in Crime, who don’t mind answering the same question over and over and are always there to lend a virtual pat on the back.

A big, big thanks to my agent, Steve Mancino, who, like a mastiff, would not give up and thrashed my manuscript within an inch of its life. And lastly, a very special thank-you to my superb editor at St. Martin’s Press, Keith Kahla, who liked my characters so much he gave them a second chance. Thank you all.