Over time, I’ve been lucky to find people who can answer questions and don’t think I’m plotting a real-life murder. It started with friends and neighbors, and now I’m comfortable reaching out to people I don’t know. I still do most of my research by reading, such as the history of Flagstaff, a memoir about growing up on the Navajo reservation, and my well-used Writer’s Digest Book of Poisons. But I still had questions that couldn’t be found in a book or on the internet.
So a special shout-out to Dr. Luis Fernandez, the chair of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at Northern Arizona University. He answered numerous questions about their program, the capstone project all seniors are required to complete and general questions about the university. I’m sure I got some things wrong, and I took a few liberties for story purposes, but his information was invaluable in helping me create a plausible background for my character Lucas Vega.
I also reached out to the NAU Police Department, and Officer Tanner Carson, community relations officer, was gracious enough to answer questions about security, how they approach missing-persons cases and the general role of campus police. Again, some liberties needed to be taken, but I tried to get the details right!
Finally, fellow author Martin Roy Hill bailed me out for some much-needed medical information that I needed immediately. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to him and other experts at the Crime Scene Writers loop. They are always there to help me not look bad. Thank you!
The writer’s life is often solitary, but there are many people involved in bringing a book to publication. First is my agent, Dan Conaway, who has guided me for coming on twelve years (I don’t think he even knows we’ve been together that long!). He’s been a rock and much-needed sounding board. Dan’s superorganized assistant, Lauren Carsley, has made the administrative end of my business seamless, even when she had no office to go into. She’s a saint!
The team at MIRA is fabulous. My covers have been among my favorite in my career, the editing has been stellar, and their enthusiasm for my stories keeps me well-motivated! Kathy Sagan is an editor who loves editing, which helps me craft the best book I can write. I cannot underscore enough the need for an author to have a good editor. It makes all the difference in the world. Nicole Brebner and Margaret Marbury steer the ship with insight and big-picture guidance. The entire design, sales, and marketing teams are amazing, but a special shout-out to Justine Sha, who keeps me up to date on reviews, social media activities, book signings, and more. If she doesn’t have an answer, she finds who does. She is enthusiastic and genuinely loves her job, which I can tell by her liberal use of exclamation points in her emails to me!
A thread that runs through The Sorority Murder is friendship: what makes a true friend, who you can count on, and who is going to bail on you when you need them most. Lucas has Lizzy, and Regan has Jessie, and in the sorority some friendships fail while others are strengthened. Real-life friendships often travel the same course—and you really know who your friends are when you are moving! As Dan and I juggled selling our house in California and moving the family to Arizona, some of our friends really stepped up to help. Tim Simonsma in particular helped Dan in more ways than I can count—and took him fishing when he needed a break. That is the mark of a true friend. Thanks, Tim, for helping keep my husband sane during the most stressful time in his life.