Chasing the Wind

Author’s Note:

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

Writing a novel is like childbirth. Some are easy and over in no time; others are long, painful labors that seem to take forever and are plagued by complications. This baby had to fight its way into the world, and we are deeply and forever grateful to the many “midwives” who assisted, in one way or another, to the birthing process: our fellow authors at the Writers of Mass Distraction—especially William Kendall, Mike Saxton, April Morone, Eve Gaal, Lorelei Bell, Mark Hunter and Linton Robinson; our two guardian angels, Carolyn Crowe and Kathie Chambers, and their husbands, Bob and Lee, respectively; our pastors at the South Side Church of God, Brandon Hunter and his wife Carly and John Morden and his wife Carole; Cathy Smith, Martin Rus, Nicole Tuberty and Kyle Tuberty from our writing group; Pearl Wilson, who watched us both grow up and became our surrogate family when we had none left; Maria Carvainis and Damaris Rowland, who once whipped a green writer into printworthy shape; Sabra Elliott, from whom I learned a great deal about “the biz”; Jim Moses and the rest of the staff at the Buder branch of the St. Louis Public Library (thanks for coming in early to get things going by the time we charged through your doors at precisely 9 am every morning!); Dr. Ferris N. Pitts, Jr, MD, who, many years ago, looked at a bad-tempered, out-of-control teenager and saw potential few could have imagined back then; Pastors Keith and Penny Holste and Susan Hunt, Christ Lutheran Church of Webster Groves; Edward Magee of St. Joan of Arc Parish, St. Louis; Joyce Moran, Annunciation Catholic Church, Webster Groves; Julia Finnegan of the now-defunct Chapter One bookstore—thanks for everything; Michael Kahn, who’s both a brilliant writer and a brilliant attorney; the late Donna Julian, onetime partner in crime, who would never have believed the route we now follow—you’re sorely missed, dear friend; and to the many other friends, associates, and professionals who saw us through the storms: Dr. Taylor Bear, MD, Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology; Dr. Robert A. Zink, MD, South Side Family Practice; Bob Powell; Jim Wolf; Carol McGrael; Debbie Henderson; Josephine Roe; Karen Alexander; Sue Easterby; Jim Hux; Charlie Kingston; Mike Dickerson; Katie Alexander Greer; Steph Duran; and the gang at the Quality Inn Southwest, St. Louis. We had the benefit of several resources for research, but the ones that proved most beneficial were Daniel B. Davis' Muses, Madmen and Prophets: Rethinking the History, Science and Meaning of Auditory Hallucinations, as well as The Creating Brain: the Neuroscience of Genius, by Nancy C. Andreasen, MD, PhD; Clone by Gina Kolata; and The Blood and the Shroud by Ian Wilson. Of course, we take all the blame for any factual errors.

And to Jake and Lolly Beishir, our parents/grandparents. You were right. We did need you and we do miss you.

Norma & Collin Beishir