Darkness My Old Friend

Thanks to my parents, Joe and Virginia Miscione, and to my brother and his wife, Joe and Tara, for their love, support, and for endlessly spreading the word. I haven’t published a thing that the dear, funny, and talented Heather Mikesell hasn’t read first. Marion Chartoff and Tara Popick, my two oldest friends, have been with me on this journey every step of the way.

As always, I must thank the people who so generously offered their expertise to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. David Steinberg, author of Hiking the Road to Ruins: Day Trips and Camping Adventures to Iron Mines, Old Military Sites, and Things Abandoned in the New York City Area… and Beyond (www.theroadtoruins.com), was an invaluable resource in my research about abandoned mines in the tri-state area. His wealth of knowledge helped inform and ground the fictional mines of The Hollows. The photos and descriptions found on www.ironminers.com fueled my imagination, and my conversations with Mike Hetman (aka Miner Mike) had me thinking about mines in a whole new way. Mike said, during one of our talks, that he thought of soil as a kind of slow-flowing liquid. This idea stayed with me and found its way into the narrative of this book. It should be noted that Mr. Hetman was in no way the inspiration for the character of Michael Holt. The character and all his various flaws, as well as his name, were on the page long before my research into mines began.

My thanks to Special Agent Paul Bouffard (Retired), who continues to be my source for all things legal and illegal, and his wonderful wife, Wendy, one of my earliest and most important readers. Thanks also to Debi McCreary for her very insightful early read. There’s a scene in this book that’s just for you, Debi.

Sitting down to write these acknowledgments every year reminds me that I am truly blessed by the people in my life. I can’t thank them enough for everything they do, but at least I can keep trying.

about the author

LISA UNGER is an award-winning New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author. Her novels have been published in more than twenty-six countries around the world.

She was born in New Haven, Connecticut (1970), but grew up in the Netherlands, England, and New Jersey. A graduate of the New School for Social Research, Lisa spent many years living and working in New York City. She then left a career in publicity to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time author. She now lives in Florida with her husband and daughter. She is at work on her next novel.

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