Crush

Valley.

Captain Jean Donaldson, Napa County Sheriff’s Department. Jean not only gave me a comprehensive tour of the Sheriff’s Department facility, including the morgue, task force conference room, and all points in between, but he graciously answered my unending follow-up questions about department procedures and operations.

D. J. Johnson, Assistant Director of the Napa County Department of Corrections. D. J. took me on a comprehensive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Napa County Hall of Justice, particularly the jail and court-house, and provided detailed explanations of the Department of Corrections’ operational procedures.

David Pearson, CEO of Opus One Winery. David assisted me with understanding appellations, AVA associations, their boards, and the politics that permeate the wine-growing regions. A longtime wine industry veteran, David took me on a fascinating personal tour of Opus One, and subsequently reviewed pertinent portions of the manuscript for accuracy.

Tomas Palmer, Senior Security Program Manager at Microsoft. Tomas provided detailed explanations regarding embedded data in Office documents—and kept it on a level a nonprogrammer could comprehend. During our ongoing exchanges of information and “what if” scenarios, I found Tomas to be a creative and outside-the-box thinker—an invaluable resource to a thriller novelist. He also reviewed relevant sections of the manuscript to make sure I didn’t mangle what we’d discussed.

James Patton, Deputy Director of Global Trade Compliance at Microsoft. Jim ran point, putting me in touch with Tomas and arranging mind-blowing behind-the-scenes tours of the Microsoft campus facilities, which included a fascinating look at the company’s cutting edge research. In addition, thanks to Bryan Rutberg, Director of the Redmond Executive Briefing Center and Dominic Trimboli, Group Manager Executive Briefings, for showing me around the Executive Briefing Center and teaching me how to use the Surface computer.

Jonathan Hayes, a senior forensic pathologist in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City, and a clinical assistant professor at NYU School of Medicine. Jonathan, author of the thriller A Hard Death, provided information on body decomposition and advised me on the drug BetaSomnol. Before I start receiving emails due to concern over conveying actual dosages about real pharmaceuticals, it was best to invent a drug—no harm in a little creative license—and get on with the story. Both Jonathan and I will sleep easier.

Amanda Montes, Translations Switch Technician for CellularOne Arizona. Amanda provided information regarding text messaging, storage, law enforcement standards, access, and terminology.

Senior Special Agent Susan Morton, of the Arizona HIDTA (High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), and Law Enforcement Specialist Marybeth McFarland, at the National Park Service’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area, for background on the complex jurisdictional issues relative to the park. As the fictional SFPD inspector said, you really do need a map and scorecard to keep it straight!

Jeffrey Jacobson, Esq., former prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney, current Associate General Counsel for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association . . . and my brother. Jeff answers my procedural questions when pesky legal issues interrupt the telling of my stories.

Jeff Ayers, author, librarian, media escort, friend. Jeff connected me with James Patton, and shuttled me around Seattle like a pro.

Kevin Fagan, San Francisco Chronicle staff writer, for timely assistance with the Zodiac case. Greg Miller, for a primer on appellations, AVAs, Napa politics, and police jurisdictions.

Roger Cooper, my publisher. I’m extremely fortunate to have the ongoing opportunity to work closely with Roger. His forty years in publishing are an invaluable resource; more than that, however, Roger is a visionary, a tireless worker, and someone who has earned my limitless respect. I am guided by his insight and knowledge.

Georgina Levitt, Vanguard Press associate publisher, and Amanda Ferber, publishing manager. Georgina and Amanda are my lifelines throughout the publishing process. It is truly a pleasure to work with two very professional, efficient, and special individuals.

Peter Costanzo, Vanguard’s director of online marketing, for producing such a fine and functional web site; and the entire Vanguard sales force and production staff, who busted their tails behind the scenes to assemble a first-class product—and then get it sold into the stores.

Kevin Smith, my editor. Kevin and I are of like minds when it comes to suspense. He understands my characters and what I am trying to accomplish with each novel. For Crush, his vision and astute observations helped me find that razor’s edge.

Laura Stine, my project editor. Laura is the embodiment of dotted i’s and crossed t’s. With so many moving parts at the production end of publishing a novel, it’s essential to have a chief at the helm making sure the hard work gets packaged into a polished final product.

Anais Scott, my copy editor. There are an unfathomable number of details to keep straight across four hundred pages, and having someone trolling my sentences with Anais’s extraordinary attention to detail is vital.

Jen Ballot, my publicist. Jen did an unbelievable job setting up a successful, aggressive, and full-scale book tour in the most challenging retail and promotional environment in decades.

Joel Gotler and Frank Curtis, my agents. As fortunate as I am to have Roger Cooper as my publisher, I’m equally as blessed to have two agents with the decades of experience Joel and Frank possess. They have freed me to think less about the business of rights, subrights, and contracts—and more about creating unique stories and characters.

Gil Adler and Shane McCarthy, the producers who bought the film rights to The 7th Victim and my (eventually) forthcoming novel, Hard Target. They have made my first Hollywood experiences special, memorable, and enjoyable. I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with in this process.

Jill, my wife, best friend, and editor. I’ve joked that there’s a lot of me in Karen Vail . . . but there’s also a fair amount of Jill in Karen Vail. Jill’s influence is felt throughout the manuscript, not just from our trips to (and experiences in) the wine country, but also behind the scenes, in her critical review of the story and characters. She has put up with me being sequestered in my office toiling away at these pages all day and night, and well into the morning hours. Thanks for being patient.

To my readers . . . Thanks for your support, for spreading the word about “Alan Jacobson” to friends, family members, neighbors, colleagues, book clubs, and bloggers. My promise to you is that I will always try my best to entertain you with unique characters and interesting stories. Come out and see me sometime at one of my signings. I’m here for you.

Thanks, as well, to those who went above and beyond to help sell my books: Nanci Gill, Carey Pena, Gretchen Pahia, Larry Comacho, Dave Anderson, Helen Raptis, Leslie Martin, Kelly Jackson, Dan Elliott; Marianne McClary, Nick Toma, Mark S. Allen; Bill Thompson; Tom Hedtke, Beth O’Connor, Vicky Lorini; Colleen Holcombe; Jeff Broyles; Terry Abbott; Pam Chadwick, Doran Beckman; Mary Ann Diehl; Judy Wible, Jackie Kelly; Gunjan Koul; Douglas Thompson; Jean Coggan, Kristine Williams; Shana Pennington-Baird; Russ Ilg; John Hutchinson, Virginia Lenneville; Ruth and Jon Jordan; Alex Telander; Jared Martin; Debbie White, Alison Meltcher; Torey Harkins; Jeff Bobby; Joel Harris; J. B. Dickey, Maryelizabeth Hart, Terry Gilman, Patrick Heffernan; Joan Hansen; Bobby McCue, Linda Brown, Pam Woods, Kirk Pasich; April Lilley, Christine Hilferty; Lorri Amsden; Jeffrey Jacobson; Corey Jacobson; Russell and Marion Weis; Marci and Paul Ortega; Len Rudnick; Wayne and Julia Rudnick; Marc Hernandez, Ronny Peskin; Marc Benezra (fifty times over); Bill Kitzerow (you da man!); Mikel London, Tim Murphy, Dennis Hoover; John Hartman; Perry Ginsberg; Florence Jacobson; Pete Bluford; Andrew Gulli; Art O’Connor; Sarie Morrell; Anthony and Herta Peju, Peter Verdin, Katie Lewis, Stacee Cootes, Alan Arnopole, Robert Sherman, Helena Frazier; Micheal Weinhaus; C. J. Snow; Aaron Matzkin; Heather Williams; Mike and Betsy Schoenfeld; Josh and Debbie Sabah; Dena Benezra; Richard Grossman; Mimi Graham-Rose; Susanna Yao.

Author’s note: For obvious reasons, some of the locations mentioned in the novel are fictitious; many, however, are real. For those of you visiting the region, stop by the real wineries and restaurants mentioned in Crush for some world-class Napa Valley wine (for a list of these wineries, wines, and restaurants, visit www.crush.alanjacobson.com).