Split Black /#Wattys 2021

A Short Break for Acknowledgements

Seems like acknowledgements, in a real published book, are always tucked at the very end where no one ever sees, much less reads them. Since I'm about to include a sample of someone else's writing, I didn't think that was fair, plus all the people who helped deserve their due. So...

Deep, deep gratitude to the following people:

For information and feedback on the brain disorders and mental illness portrayed in this book: Robin Zeiger, Ph.D., Amy Dansby Parris, DBH, MSW, and author Randi Kreger and the members of the Welcome To Oz Adult Children support group at BPD Central online. These folks helped me be sure the scenes I wrote were typical and the feelings true to life. For anyone with a relative with BPD traits, the WTO support groups at Yahoo Groups, for sufferers of BPD, their relatives, their spouses, and their friends are highly recommended. If you see yourself in this book, look these groups up. The people there understand.

In Chapter Twenty-one of this novel, a fan fic is sampled. This is an actual fan fic, originally posted by a writer named LeiaMoody (writing here as Ysonesse) on TheForce.net in the mid 2000's. I fell in love with this author's writing, and her story, although originally written with zero sinister undertones, fit the subject matter of Split Black ... with a little tweaking. The story was written for a challenge on the site and the title was, indeed, "Moonwater Perfume." (Here it's "Daughter of Najahal.") Used with the gracious permission of the author. Thank you, Ysonesse!

Apologies to the members of the original Fortress on TFN, wherever you are, for my appropriation of the name. The original Fortress was a great place, again with zero sinister undertones.

For information on the modeling life and modeling as a business, I want to thank Stacie Vanchieri, owner of the Modelogic Wilhelmina model and talent agency, Richmond/Chicago/Milwaukee. I would have been totally at sea trying to construct a career trajectory for Liz without her. Also a great big thank you to Navy wife, mother, model, makeup artist, and Mara Jade actress Shannon L. McRandle, whose comments in the planning stage for this book helped shape and guide the manuscript. (That's Shannon in the green on one of the prior photos posted at the beginnings of the chapters.) You ladies are lifesavers! Without you there might not have been a story.

Sadly, Shannon, who has suffered from the autoimmune disease anklosing spondylitis all of her life, barely survived cancer five years ago and has become extremely disabled and in chronic pain from the chemo and radiation. She is no longer able to work and has a Gofundme here:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/5nttnlc?qid=6a36075296237b74287c9fb8f9676c8a . If you are a Star Wars fan and loved Mara Jade, please consider making a donation to help the model who portrayed her. 

A special thank you to local Virginia models Pyper Ribble and Kathleen McGonigle. You don't know me and I don't know you, but your portfolios on your agency websites were the inspiration for the characters of Liz Ascot and Julie Samuels. Best of luck to you in your careers.

For information about crime scene investigation, police departments, and basic remedial help for this law enforcement ignoramus: Richmond Patrol Officer Scott Campbell, retired Petersburg police officer Robert Threatt, and retired Richmond homicide detective Robert Skowron (whose timely and merciful intervention saved my first scene.) Most of all, thank you to my wonderful, late, great husband, author and retired PI Robert E. Bailey. Bob plotted and planned with me, taught Anatomy of a Firearm 101, and endured hours and hours of stupid questions. 

Couldn't have done this without any of you. Really.

For ongoing and much needed computer support: Adam Bailey. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!

For help in researching the real-life locations in this book: 

At Vistas on the James: Anna Page Campbell. At Buckroe Fire Company: Mark Carli, John Pickin, and Volunteer Fire Chief Sidney Pearce. At Hampton PD: Rita Bulluck. At the late, great, and much-missed Sans Souci Motel: Frank Huff, Tammy Castner, and Marlene Taylor. Thanks also to the friendly staff at the Buckroe Beach Fishing Pier.

Lastly, deep appreciation to Richwriters, my writer's group (where I not only wrote this but met and married my husband). Thanks to all the members who read and reread every word of this  and made all those comments and suggestions: Mark Pruett, Archie Abaire, Denise Golinowsky, Pamela K. Kinney, Richard Thomas, David Swift, Rhoda Honigman, Ann Harmon, and C. Ellington Hill. Judith D. Howell reread the second draft and did a detailed markup on the manuscript. If you're at all into werewolves, look up her Swamp Series online. You'll be very glad you did. A very special thank you to our dedicated leader, Joe Erhardt, who has kept this group of talented people organized for over twenty years now, even when he doesn't have time to write himself. Without all of you Split Black  wouldn't be up here.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program...