Acknowledgements
I’m eternally grateful to my life-companion, true friend and husband, Saad Saleh. Lending his ear, insight and support was essential in delivering me to the last word of this book.
My heartiest thanks go out to my sweet mother, Nawal for her nurturing guidance, always speaking her mind to keep me grounded. And to my adult children, Leila and Bassel for opening my eyes to the magic of life that I try to capture in my writing.
I am indebted to Roger Paulding, who continues to be my writing mentor, Bob Gregory, who understood what I wanted to write even when I didn’t have the right words, Luke Chauvin, who read between the lines what I was too involved to see, and Sandra DiGiovani, who went after my adverbs.
Many in my writer’s critique group offered valuable feedback and
