Little Deadly Things (49 page)

Authors: Harry Steinman

It’s easy to create a villain, to dream up dirty deeds. It’s not so easy to imbue a villian with humanity. I would have failed without expert guidance from Dr. Steven Krugman and Sybil Houlding. Neither allowed me to remain in the flat-plane world of Bad Seed cliché. I struggled for four years to bring Eva from the unformed to the expressible and would not have found her character without Sybil and Steve’s astute coaching. Sybil is the brightest living light of the psychoanalytic community. That she is my sister is irrelevant.

Murray Steinman, P.R. and branding maven. That he is my brother is not irrelevant in the least. Need a good PR firm? Talk to Murray.

Roger Gefvert—one of the two gentlest people I know. He is artful, thoughtful, and talented like you wouldn’t believe, and generous with his labor. Thank you, Roger, for the cover and interior design. Wow!

Jordan Rich, for your unexpected generosity in promoting
Little Deadly Things.
You helped me get author blurbs and put me on the airwaves. Cool!

Rebecca Houlding, who helped keep the courtroom scene tethered to reality. She and her father are the world’s greatest attorneys. That she is my niece is irrelevant.

Attorney David Ceruolo, for quick answers to many legal questions.

Dr. Lindsay Drennan-Harris, for explaining the chemistry of iron, the Little Atom That Could.

Terri Bright, soon to be
Dr.
Terri Bright. She is one of the country’s unheralded experts on canine behavior. She is my mentor and friend, and the only Agility competitor brave enough to run a bull terrier and skilled enough to win. Her training regimen at the MSPCA is unique. My understanding of behaviorism is a tribute to Terri’s patient reinforcement.

Crystal Campbell, Keyboard Wizard, for creating a most wonderful website.

Those kind souls who labored through a dismal first draft: Pete Solomon, town librarian and the first to read and encourage; very longtime friends and very dear ones: Jeremy Landau, Melody Urso, and Erin Prophet (tied for first place on the Gentle Scale). Encouragement also came from Lawrence and Elizabeth MacDonald, and from Val Rounds.

Dr. Nancy Krieger, childhood friend, for laboring through a later draft. You are way supportive, and too cool for school, just as you were when we were kids.

Old friend, Jerry Posner, just for being you. Mr. Positive.

Writer and editor Guy Maynard, for his honest reactions and deservedly scant praise of that first draft. Thank you for encouraging me, even though this genre is not your cup of meat.

John Guerrasio, actor and friend. Another who egged me on. “Write! It’s good for you!” he said. I admire John because he set out to do what he loves and succeeded.

Eric Sunden, Mr. Patience, for your help with the Kickstarter video...and for pointing out that Fajardo is in the north, not the south of Borinquen. Ooops.

Justin Cattachio, for the Dunedin Kickstarter videos. Oh, heck, all the supporters in that wonderful town.

W. Javier Colon, for help with colloquial Puerto Rican Spanish, and for being young, and idealistic. Be bold.

Michelle Toth, a fine author and teacher, for the inspiration to, and the roadmap for self-publication. Plus, answering a million questions later on.

Amy MacKinnon, another fine author and teacher, who possessed the patience to explain basic writing craft without which I should not have begun and would not have finished.

Editor Stuart Horwitz, of Book Architecture. Professionals make it look easy.

Victoria Wright, Editor Ninja Supreme, for holding me accountable and for being so damned smart. A joy to work with you.

To the selfless and talented folk at Grubstreet. Love, not money, drives them.

To you all, for spending your time with
Little Deadly Things.
Mil gracias.