by J. D. Allen
Acknowledgments
As with most books, many people helped with the development of my writing and the creation of Jim Bean and his world. The dream of being a writer was my own, but fulfilling that dream would have been impossible without writer’s groups whose members and programs taught me how to hone the craft. MWA, Sisters in Crime, RWA, and others have all helped mold me, teach me, and nurture me. Thanks to Tony Parkinson, Nancy Kattenfeild, Kris Froehlich, Jeffrey Deaver, John Gilstrap, and Art Taylor, who’ve read and eagerly supported my work.
To all the wonderful friends and acquaintances in the mystery/thriller community who have welcomed me with open arms and a deep glass of wine, I thank you. My parents always supported my storytelling, starting before I could imagine writing them. They were saddled with rehearsals and attending plays way back at Casa Manana in TX. Acting shifted into making up my own dialogue, and eventually stories and then books. My dad would have been thrilled to see all this come to fruition.
Many thanks to Gina Lamb for editing the dyslexia out of my first draft. Kelli Collins for teaching me to stay in the story and where the right place to start is. Usually, three chapters after I started it.
To Terri Bischoff for believing in the Sin City series, to Nicole Nugent and the rest of the Midnight Ink Crew for all their hard work making it read well and look good.
Thanks to Raleigh PI Gary Richardson for helping with interesting stories and technical information, and Chris Grall for weapons accuracy. Any mistakes in these areas are all mine.
And mostly to Shaun, who courageously dug his way out from under the crippling stigma, personal toll, and financial ramifications of a false accusation of rape. Through the struggle I watched him become a stronger man, a loving husband, and an adorable father. Good thing he handled it better than Jim Bean. Thank you for letting me ask you the hard questions and making you relive those memories to answer them. I hope we’ll open a few eyes as the series progresses.
About the Author
J.D. Allen (Raleigh, NC) attended The Ohio State University and earned a degree in forensic anthropology and a creative writing minor.
She’s a member of the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention National board and president of the Triangle Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She does workshops on the basics of crime scene investigation, voice, and public speaking. You can visit her online at www.JDAllenBooks.com.
