As always, grateful thanks to our exceptional publisher at Bantam Dell, Irwyn Applebaum, and our insightful editor, Danielle Perez.
We owe too much to our agent and friend, Nancy Yost of Lowenstein-Yost Associates Inc., to express in a few words, but hey, thank you, you terrific woman.
We thank Dr. Ellen Taliaferro, co-founder of Physicians for a Violence-free Society, for related ideas. We consulted research on strangulation by Dean A. Hawley, MD, George E. McClane, MD, and Gael B. Strack, JD. (All errors are our own.) John Farrelly, cemetery coordinator at Cementario El Encinal, kindly shared his memories.
Pam would particularly like to thank the talented writers who taught, entertained, and kept her going during the writing of this book, all to be found at The Critical Poet’s Final Polishing site (http://pub8.ezboard.com/fthecriticalpoetsmessageboarfrm12): dmehl808 (Dave Mehler), Drgib, Ashersimeon, jaxmyth, posthumous, cyberwrite, antidora, arabianlady, kdkaboom, eliashoi, ameuc, and all the rest.
Kudos to the members of Windward Oahu AAUW, who help so many; and to the unique characters in the Ladera Book Club, who provide such amusing intellectual distraction.
Thanks and love to the family and friends who sustain us: Andrew, Ardyth, Nita, Elizabeth, Brad, June, Connor, Cory, Stephanie, Joan, Meg, Patrick, Sylvia, and Frank.