Читать книгу Perfect Bait - Michael Douglas Fowlkes - Страница 8

Acknowledgments

Running out to the grounds during the night in a storm is never fun. But when a passenger breaks into the wheelhouse screaming someone has fallen overboard, the sheer terror that shoots through you is mind numbing. I could hardly breathe as I raced from stateroom to stateroom searching for the missing passenger. The moment I knew he was no longer on board, a part of me shriveled up and died.

This all-too-real life experience, how it happened, and what happened next was the inspirational seed from which this novel was created. From there, each of you must decide for yourself what is real and what is fiction.

To the individuals who recognize themselves within these pages, I’ve done my best to represent you with the highest respect and to the depth you’ve each influenced my life. Throughout our lives, it’s the people we love, those who love us, and those who don’t, who make us who we are. This book is dedicated to each and every one of you.

Grateful acknowledgment is given:

To my mother and father, to my grandmother and grandfather, who in their own unique way, taught me to love the outdoors, to love being on the water, and most importantly, to cherish and respect all living things, small and great, both above and below the waterline.

To my crew at the time, now Captains Zachary Story and Brian Fay, for your loyalty, friendship and bravery. To Larry Edwards and Lloyd Wolf for taking me under your wings and making sure we did it right. To Captains Buzz Brizendine, owner/operator of the Prowler; Alan Fay, owner/operator of the Pronto; and Frank LoPreste, owner/operator of the Royal Polaris, for your willingness to work with a rookie operator, on a six-pac no less, so green it wasn’t even funny. You never knew it at the time, but the few words of encouragement you sent my direction over the radio meant the world to me.

To my dear friends Tom and Gracie Rogers, Dave and Hallie Pfeiffer, Clete Takahashi and Joani Dickenson for your invaluable insights into the storylines and characters and for your honesty, critiques and suggestions, without which this book wouldn’t be what it is. Thank you for your support, encouragement and love. To Danny Dickenson, Steve DeGroote, Andrew Matthewson and Jim Magnuson, without whose unique and extraordinary skills, craftsmanship and knowledge of boats, the Vintage would never have been restored to where she is today.

To Julie Metz/Monica Gurevich for Julie Metz Ltd., for your creative vision and cover design. To Crystal Patriarche, BookSparksPR, for your ideas and insight. To Jean Denning for your endless efforts and patience editing and converting the book for this edition; you were the angel this book was waiting for.

And to my incredible wife, Kimberly, I owe you everything. You were there in the beginning, throughout the storms, and will be until the day I die. Your patience and unconditional passion are living testament to what love is all about. I love you with all that I am, and ever will be. You are my guiding light.