Underwater (29 page)

Acknowledgments

I am thankful to the many people who assisted me in the writing of this book. Elen Christopher helped me with many of the details of Candace’s lifestyle, gave me several key suggestions, and offered her unceasing support. Kathy Fowler and Becky Dannenfelser supplied me with important elements about the world of retail and women’s apparel companies. Special thanks to advance readers Elen, Lucille (Lucy) Spann, and Dennis McDermott for their opinions, comments, and advice that helped make
Underwater
a much stronger, better novel.

I am grateful to the Writers Circle Critique Group for their feedback and encouragement, especially co-leaders Gelia Dolcimascolo and Beth Horton, and members Mona Haddad, Bill Hines, Jim Huskins, Jaya Kamlani, Freddie McGee, Ron Saint, and June Smith. I owe a debt of gratitude to Gelia and Beth for their continual support and amazing suggestions, and to Beth for reviewing all the sections she missed. Thanks to Jim for his constant encouragement, friendship, and ability to make me laugh; to Freddie for teaching me about pacing and plot; to Jaya for inspiring me to continue and to believe in myself; to Ron, Mona, and June for their spot-on observations and comments; and to Bill for finding my extra
had
s, and for helping me to “get it right.”

I am also thankful to Bill for connecting me with my wonderful and thorough editor, fellow Tar Heel Laura Ownbey. Laura worked diligently on the first edition of
Underwater
, and her commitment was outstanding. She cheerfully listened to me, and pushed me to dig deep into each character’s motivations and emotions.

For this second, current edition, I am grateful to Anh Schluep, my editor at Thomas & Mercer, and to the entire editing and proofreading team, for their professional focus, direction, and hard work to improve, polish, and sharpen the novel.

I thank my author friends Peter Morlon-McKenzie, Ernie Pick, and Don Reichardt for their friendship and much-needed words of encouragement as I worked on
Underwater
. I am also grateful to my wonderful cover artist, Michael Faron (and to Peter for referring him), for his hard work, patience, and creative focus on the first edition cover. I thank Thomas & Mercer cover artist Scott Barrie for his work to revamp, enhance, and refine the original image into a powerful and updated second edition cover.

Special thanks to my mother, Sally Cooper; my daughter, Annette; my son, Jack; and my mother-in-law, Mary McDermott, for encouraging me and believing in me. As always, I’m grateful to my husband, Dennis, for his unending love and support.

About the Author

Julia McDermott was born in Dallas, Texas; grew up in Atlanta, Georgia; and earned a degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also studied French and spent her junior year in the south of France. She and her husband were underwater on their first house in Texas (before being underwater was cool).

She loves reading, watching football, cheering on the UNC Tar Heels, France, and all things French. The mother of four, she resides in Atlanta with her husband and family.