Matthew Jacobson lent his experience with fencing, its physical demands and techniques; he also shared his ideas for, and knowledge of, George Washington University, its buildings, and locations. The George Washington University Columbian College of Arts & Sciences department staff and the GW registrar provided the particulars I needed regarding Phillips Hall, including interior photos of the rooms and lecture halls.
The terrific team at Open Road Integrated Media toiled behind the scenes in the publishing and promotion of my novels. I hesitate to name specific individuals because there are so many who, unbeknownst to me, perform vital tasks to bring my novels to your hands. Of those I’ve worked with closely, I’d like to thank Emma Pulitzer, Lauren Chomiuk, Megan Buckman, Colleen Lindsay, Nathan Barker, Tina Pohlman, and, without question, Jane Friedman and Paul Slavin. It would be tough to find a finer group of publishing professionals in the industry.
John Hutchinson and Virginia Lenneville of Norwood Press worked tirelessly to make my hardcover editions a reality. Pride goes into every novel they publish, and it shows. They love books—and most importantly, they love Alan Jacobson’s books!
My editorial team has gone to battle quite a few times now, and we’ve always come away victorious. The Darkness of Evil is the ninth book of mine that Kevin Smith has edited, which is amazing in and of itself. (See the dedication at the beginning of this novel for more on Kevin’s contributions.) My copyeditor, Chrisona Schmidt, helps me refine the prose and makes sure all the grammatical i’s and t’s are dotted and crossed (and in their proper order). Style manuals make my eyes blur, but Chrisona can quote chapter and verse. The winning goal is to turn out the best product possible, and my team works hard to make that happen. We’ve got many more battles to come.
My agents, Joel Gotler and Frank Curtis, once again lent their agenting and legal expertise/advice, respectively, that has kept me afloat in the brave new world of publishing.
Richard Prati and Steven and Leslie Johnson were instrumental in making Norwood Press’s hardcover of The Darkness of Evil a reality.
My fans and readers are really what it’s all about. Without you guys, my novels would go unappreciated. To that end, my Facebook fan group administrators, Sandra Soreano and Terri Landreth, keep everyone engaged in the “Alan Jacobson universe” and encourage people to post and maintain lively discussions.
I’ve written about my wife Jill in each of my eleven books and her contributions toward keeping me sane throughout the insane process of plotting, outlining, researching, writing, and editing. But in The Darkness of Evil, she made an editorial catch that—in the words of my editor—“saved our bacon.” I don’t eat bacon but I understood the sentiment, and I agree. So the ultimate thanks goes to my soulmate and … um, bacon saver.